Indigo Twilight
by Sar5ah
Summary: Wavepool has just become the deputy, but that night she learns of a prophecy, about her! She must become the crashing waves and burn out the flame that could destroy her Clan. But who, or what, is the flame, and will Wavepool succeed?
1. Allegiances

Indigo Twilight

Allegiances

ICECLAN

Leader: Fogstar - pale gray tom with darker patches and amber eyes

Deputy: Snowfall - white tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Feathersong - black tom with pale yellow eyes and a white tipped tail

Warriors: Fawnleap - pale brown she-cat with blue eyes and black paws

Sunrock - dark red tom with white paws

Gullfeather - white tom with black neck and green eyes

Patcheye - brown tom with a white patch over left eye

Cedarbranch - very dark brown tom with dark green eyes

Drizzlefoot - dark grey she-cat with lighter patches and amber eyes

Fuzzypelt - grey tom with spiky fur and amber eyes

Eaglewind - golden tom with a white muzzle and blue eyes

Wavepool - gray she-cat with silver tipped ears and green eyes

Sandwhisker - pale ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Sleepytail - pale brown tabby she-cat with a long tail

Apprentices: Echostream, Apprentice Medicine Cat - white she-cat with black ears and paws and dark blue eyes

Swiftpaw - ginger tom with amber eyes

Puddlepaw - dark grey she-cat with yellow eyes

Snowpaw - pure white she-cat with amber eyes

Queens: Petaldawn - pale slender ginger she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Mousekit, brown tom with amber eyes; Songkit, ginger she-cat with green eyes; and Sweetkit, tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes)

Blueheart - grey she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Tinykit, white she-cat with black front paws and amber eyes; and Firekit, ginger tom with amber eyes)

Shimmerwing - silver tabby she-cat with green eyes and black ears

Elders: Fishleap - silver tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes

Mosspelt - speckled brown she-cat with green eyes

CATS OUTSIDE THE CLAN

Vinny - tortoiseshell tom with amber eyes who lives in the Twoleg den on the mountain

Garcia - grey she-cat who lives with Vinny in the Twoleg den

Dock - muscular brown tom, leader of the rouges

Thistle - wiry brown she-cat

Shade - black tom with amber eyes


	2. The Prophecy

Indigo Twilight

Chapter One

The Prophecy

Wavepool stood in the middle of the Meeting Chamber, basking in the warm gaze of her leader and Clanmate's.

"Wavepool," Fogstar mewed. "You shall be the next deputy of IceClan."

Yowls of congratulations echoed throughout the Chamber. Fogstar's amber gaze surveyed his Clan from atop the Speaking Stone. Wavepool's friend, Echostream, the medicine cat apprentice, padded up to her.

"Congratulations," she mewed, entwining her tail with her friend's. "I knew you could do it."Wavepool looked at Echostream with worried green eyes. "Are you sure I'll be okay as deputy? I don't know a thing about organizing patrols!"Echostream purred. "You'll be fine. I don't know a better cat for the job."

Just then, Fuzzypelt padded over. He brushed up against Wavepool. "Well done," he meowed.

"Thank you," Wavepool mewed, dipping her head. The Meeting Chamber quieted down, and every cat turned to see the old deputy, Snowfall, now thin and old, began to speak.

"I have been honoured to serve as your deputy," he rasped. "I will now live the rest of my days in the elders cave, where I know I will be looked after."

Everyone murmured their wishes of good luck as Snowfall padded through the Clan to sit beside the elders. When he passed Wavepool, she mewed, "May StarClan light your path." Echostream brushed her tail up against his flank and Fuzzypelt bowed his head, meowing, "You have served us well."

Fogstar cleared his throat for silence. "We should all get some rest, now," he meowed, as Snowfall took his place beside the elders. "Wavepool, as is the custom of IceClan, you must guard the entrance all night, being the new deputy."

Wavepool nodded. "Of course."

Feathersong, Echostream's mentor, padded up to Wavepool with a bundle of herbs in his jaws. He placed them at her paws as the rest of the Clan retreated to their dens. "They'll keep your strength up," he mewed. Wavepool bent down and ate the herbs, wincing at their bitter taste. "Thanks, Feathersong."

His white tail-tip twitched. "If you need anything else, just give me a shout," he meowed, padding away and slipping inside the medicine cat den.

Fuzzypelt's jaws parted in a huge yawn. "Well, I'm going to my nest." He turned to the warriors cave, calling over his shoulder, "See you in the morning." He disappeared inside.

Echostream padded towards the mountain entrance. "Come on," she mewed to Wavepool. "I'll stay outside with you for awhile."

Wavepool padded outside into the chilly mountain air. She fluffed up her fur against the wind and looked up at the indigo sky, purply-pink from twilight. Beside her, Echostream lay down on the stone gazing up at the stars that were slowly appearing in the night sky.

Suddenly, as the moon appeared, a small star shot across the sky, and Echostream stiffened. Wavepool turned her concerned green eyes to her friend. "Echostream, are you okay?"Echostream didn't respond. A sweet scent began to wreath its way around the two she-cats, lingering around Wavepool the most. Echostream stayed stiff until the scent faded away, then she relaxed and turned to Wavepool with wide blue eyes."A prophecy!" she mewed quietly, but urgently. "It spoke of you, Wavepool!"

"Huh?" Wavepool was sure her friend was hallucinating. "What do you mean?"

"'Ice can melt, only by flame. But the crashing of the waves can quench the fire, and destroy the darkness'. Don't you see Wavepool? You are the crashing waves, and you will save IceClan!"


	3. The Dream

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Two

The Dream

Wavepool stared at Echostream, confused. "What? I'll save IceClan?"

A cold draft ruffled the medicine cat's fur. "Yes, save us from melting out."Wavepool stepped back, startled by Echostream's whispery voice. Her hind paws sent loose stones skittering down the mountainside, and she lost her footing for a moment. When she hauled herself up again, Echostream was looking at her, her blue gaze calm. "Are you alright?"

Wavepool glared at her. "No thanks to you," she snapped. Echostream flinched, then nodded slowly.

"Alright," she mewed. "I'll leave you to your watch, then." She padded back into the cave and left Wavepool alone on the cliff ledge.

Wavepool settled herself down on the stones and looked up to the blazing stars of Silverpelt. They twinkled brightly, but offered no condolence. Her eyelids grew heavy after some time watching the stars twinkle in the sky, and she closed them.

Her eyes rushed open a few moments later. She was standing on a hill, covered in waving, coarse grass. She padded forward cautiously, scenting the air. Suddenly, a small she-cat appeared out from the grass, followed by a few others. They padded up to Wavepool, stars sparkling in their fur.

_Warriors of StarClan!_

"Hello, Wavepool," the small cat mewed.

Wavepool eyed the cat warily. "Who are you?"The cat sat down, whisking her tail in the grass. The other cats followed suit and sat down in the grass. "I am Duskpelt," she mewed. "I was the medicine cat long before you were born."

A silver tabby she-cat padded to sit beside Duskpelt. "I am Breezestar," she meowed. "I was the leader before Fogstar."

"I see," Wavepool mewed, still cautious. "Why have you come to me?"

"You don't believe Echostream," Duskpelt meowed. "But she speaks the truth. You will save your Clan from the flames of destruction."

"But what's the flame?" Wavepool asked, her fur bristling slightly.

Breezestar shook her head. "We cannot tell you that. You must find the answers yourself.""But not alone," Duskpelt meowed. "Echostream may be able to help you. But the answers do not lie in the mountains. They lie in the woods."

"Woods?" Wavepool echoed. "What woods?"

But the StarClan warriors were already fading away. Wavepool ran towards the starry figures, but she ran right through them. Duskpelt's scent lingered around her for awhile before fading away, while her voice echoed in Wavepool's ears; "Follow the sun, Wavepool. It will take you to where you need to go…."

Wavepool's eyes snapped open. The sun was rising slowly, just barely shining over the kit mountain, the sky coloured a beautiful pink-grey.

Sunrock poked his head out of the cave entrance. "Good morning, Wavepool. Are you going to assign patrols?"

Wavepool slowly rose from her spot. She stretched out, yawned, and nodded. "Yeah, I'm coming."

She padded inside after Sunrock. He led the way down the passage into the Meeting Chamber, where a few other warriors waited for her. She stopped at the Speaking Stone and turned to her expectant Clanmates. "Alright, Fawnleap, Suntone, and Snowpaw, you can go out on a hunting patrol, and Sandwhisker, Patcheye, Eaglewind and Swiftpaw can be the dawn patrol."

Everyone nodded their heads and padded off into their separate groups, exiting the mountain to do their tasks. Fogstar came out of his den and arched his back in a stretch. "Good morning, Wavepool. Everything alright?""Yes, Fogstar," she mewed sleepily.

Fogstar touched her shoulder with his tail-tip. "Go ahead, get some rest. You look like you could fall asleep on your paws," he meowed with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Wavepool nodded, and slowly padded into the warriors cave, and heard Dawnpelt's voice in her ears again:

_Follow the sun, Wavepool. It will take you where you need to go…_


	4. Two Lives

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Three

Two Lives

Wavepool replenished the scent marks before turning back to the rest of the patrol. It was two days after she had had the strange dream in which the warriors of StarClan had spoken to her.

Fuzzypelt licked one paw and then drew it over his ear. "Let's head back to camp," he mewed.

"We should probably check and make sure there aren't any rouges around, don't you think?" Cedarbranch mewed to Wavepool.

She nodded. "We should." She flicked her tail towards the other side of the mountain. "Let's check by the Frosted Tree."Puddlepaw groaned. "Aww…! My paws are all sore from walking this far, don't tell me that we have to walk all the way back and then some?"

Cedarbranch cuffed his apprentice over the ear. "Don't complain," he scolded. "It's either that or collect feathers and moss for the elders."

Puddlepaw perked up a bit as the patrol made its way towards the Frosted Tree. "Maybe I'll get to fight!" she mewed excitedly. She leaped and slashed at an invisible foe, keeping her claws sheathed.

"You need to work on your speed a bit," Fuzzypelt commented. "And try to aim at a specific point, not all over the place."

"Since when did you become a mentor?" Cedarbranch asked, glaring at Fuzzypelt.

He shrugged. "I was just giving advice."

Drizzlefoot sniffed a rock up ahead. "There's rouge scent here. You can't trust those rouges," she spat.

Wavepool scented the rock too. The scent of rouge was there, but stale. "It's old," she mewed. "Maybe by a few days."

Puddlepaw bounded ahead, then came back, her eyes shining. "I found some fresh scent over here!" she meowed, racing back over the ridge. "Come on!"

The patrol followed Puddlepaw slowly. Cedarbranch stiffened. "Did you hear that?"

Wavepool silenced the patrol with a flick of her tail, and gestured for them to follow. She dropped down into a crouch and slowly made her way to a boulder. Behind it she could hear voices.

"What if they find us?" one cat mewed.

"They won't," another one snapped.

Wavepool peered around the boulder to see a few cats huddled around together. She counted three.

A muscular brown tom stepped forward. "We must keep hidden, until the right time."

A brown she-cat curled her lip. "That's all we do, Dock. Hide and cower like little pieces of prey."Dock turned on the she-cat, snarling. "I guess you have a better idea then, Thistle?"

Thistle didn't flinch. "I don't. But Shade does." She gazed fondly at a black tom.

"I propose that we go and just destroy the Clan ourselves," he mewed boldly.

Behind her, Wavepool could hear her Clanmates' claws scratch against the rock. She signalled with her tail for Cedarbranch and Puddlepaw to go around the other side. They crept around to another boulder as the rouges continued talking. Wavepool crouched on the boulder.

"Now!" she yowled.

The patrol dashed into the three cats, startling them. Dock dusked just out of Wavepool's reach, but before he could attack, she leaped on top of him and rolled him onto his back, digging her hind claws into his belly fur. He let out a yowl of pain before scrabbling out from underneath her and fleeing, calling over his shoulder, "Let's get out of here!"Thistle gave Cedarbranch a final scratch before following Dock, and Shade followed close behind her.

Wavepool padded through her patrol. "Well fought," she mewed.

Drizzlefoot licked a long scratch on her side that Shade had given her. "Stupid flea-bag!" she spat, licking the wound fiercely.

"Let's get back to camp," Cedarbranch mewed, glancing at Drizzlefoot's side and Fuzzypelt's slightly torn ear.

When the patrol got back inside the caves, Feathersong dashed out of his den to aid the injured cats, with Echostream close behind him.

"Get me some cobwebs," he mewed quickly. "We need to stop Drizzlefoot's wound from bleeding."

Echostream raced back inside the medicine cat den to get the cobwebs for the wound.

Wavepool padded over to Fogstar's den, poking her head inside and calling out, "Fogstar, our patrol just came back. We have news."

"Come in, Wavepool," he rasped.

Wavepool padded inside the leader's cave and saw that Fogstar was shaking and tired looking.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He began to reply, but gave a hard cough. "Not really," he mewed, his voice rough.

"Have you seen Feathersong about that cough?""Yes. I wanted to talk to you about this…" He coughed again. "I think I have greencough."

Wavepool bristled. Greencough was extremely contagious, and quite fatal. "Will you lose a life?""Not if I can help it," Feathersong mumbled around a bundle of herbs. He had just padded into the cave. "Has it gotten worse, Fogstar?"Fogstar's response was a harsh cough that made Wavepool flinch.

Feathersong padded over to Fogstar and placed the bundle of herbs beside him. He put a paw to Fogstar's flank. Fogstar was wracked by another cough.

"It has," Feathersong murmured. He pulled a strong smelling herb out of the leaf wrap. "Eat this catmint, Fogstar. It will make you feel better."Wavepool watched as her leader chewed up the catmint, giving a smaller cough after swallowing. Feathersong pushed a small pile of dried yellow flowers. "And some tansy," he mewed. ""It will help you with your cough."

Wavepool suddenly remembered something. "We chased off some rouges today," she meowed. "They put up a bit of a fight."

"Not from the wounds that I saw," Feathersong muttered as Fogstar chewed the tansy.

"Well done," Fogstar meowed after licking his jaws. He then curled up in his nest, and fell asleep.

"I need to speak with you, Wavepool," Feathersong meowed softly, picking up the herbs. She nodded.

Wavepool followed Feathersong out of the cave. Echostream was seeing to Drizzlefoot's wound.

"These cobwebs aren't working," she muttered, frustrated.

"Don't forget to use marigold and comfrey," Feathersong mewed through his mouthful of herbs. "We don't want things to get infected."

Echostream waved her tail to let him know she had heard.

Feathersong lead Wavepool into the medicine cat den, a wide cave that led off into two separate parts; one for storing herbs, the other for the cats to sleep in.

He went inside the store to put away his leftover herbs. When he came out, he mewed, "Come sit."

He sat down in one of the moss lined nests. He sighed. "Fogstar may not live through this bout of greencough."

"What do you mean?" Wavepool asked, bewildered.

Lowering his voice, Feathersong mewed, "He only has two lives left and he is getting old so it's harder for him to fight off sickness. He's not going to live for too long." He gazed at Wavepool with his yellow eyes. "And when that time comes, you must be prepared to bear the weight of your destiny."

Wavepool shuffled her paws. "I guess Echostream told you about her vision."

Feathersong nodded. "A strong prophecy indeed, one that predicts power and the future of our Clan. Now then," Feathersong meowed, his tone lightening as he got up and padded into the medicine store, emerging with a few herbs in his jaws. "I have to bring this lamb's ear to Fogstar. It'll keep his strength up so he can fight the green cough." With that Feathersong padded out of the cave.

Wavepool stood, shook a few clumps of moss from her fur, and exited the medicine cat den, her thoughts trailing behind her like an ominous cloud.


	5. Assessments and Kits

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Four

Assessments and Kits

Wavepool padded up to Fawnleap as she sat beside the fresh-kill pile the next day. "How's Snowpaw's training coming along?" she asked, picking a winter hare for herself and sitting down.

Fawnleap swallowed. "Great," she mewed. "She should be ready for her warrior ceremony soon.""That's wonderful!" Wavepool purred. "I'll speak to Fogstar, if you'd like.""Thanks, Wavepool. That means a lot."

Wavepool quickly ate the hare and licked her whiskers clean. Then she padded into Fogstar's den.

"Fogstar, I need to speak with you about the apprentices," she mewed, settling herself down a couple tail lengths away from his nest so she didn't catch the greencough.

He raised his head slowly. "What about them?"

"I think Snowpaw's ready for her warrior ceremony," she mewed, wrapping her tail over her paws.

"Good," Fogstar nodded. "The other apprentices should be ready as well. Assign the assessment, and we'll have them as warriors by moonhigh."

Wavepool purred. "Great." She stood up and dipped her head, then left the den.

She bumped into Echostream as she came in with some more catmint. "Oh! Sorry," she mewed.

"S'ok," Echostream mumbled around the herbs. Wavepool stepped aside and let her pass.

She padded over to Fawnleap, who was sitting with Cedarbranch, discussing fighting moves. Eaglewind sat close by, nodding his head.

As Wavepool approached, Fawnleap turned to her, eyes expectant. "So what did Fogstar say?""You three should take your apprentices on an assessment, then report back to me, and I'll tell Fogstar," Wavepool meowed.

Eaglewind twitched his ears. "About time," he mewed, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I'll get the apprentices," Cedarbranch purred, padding off into the apprentice den. He emerged a few heartbeats later with Swiftpaw, Puddlepaw, and Snowpaw at his heels.

"Are we really going to become warriors?" Swiftpaw mewed, his eyes shining.

"Of course we are!" Puddlepaw snapped. "Why do you think we're going on the assessment?"

She padded forwards to walk by Cedarbranch. Snowpaw, her sister, nuzzled Swiftpaw affectionately. "Don't worry about her," she purred. "She always has ruffled fur."

Wavepool watched as the mentors gathered their apprentices. As they padded out of the cave, she called, "Good luck!"

They vanished out into the mountain air.

Wavepool glanced around the Meeting Chamber. Not a cat was in sight; either they were on patrols, or they were resting.

Suddenly, a small wail came from the nursery cave. Wavepool raced inside, and heard heavy breathing.

"Get Feathersong," gasped Blueheart, a nursing queen. "Shimmerwing's kits are coming!"Wavepool dashed out of the nursery and hurried into Feathersong's den.

"Shimmerwing's kits are coming!" she mewed to the black tom, who was already gathering herbs together.

"I know that!" he snapped, picking up the herb bundle. He brushed past Wavepool in his hurry to get to the queen.

Echostream gathered some extra herbs in her jaws, and followed her mentor outside, Wavepool behind her. The three cats raced to the nursery, where another wail sounded.

Feathersong and Echostream dropped their leave bundles. "It's okay," Feathersong soothed to the queen.

Shimmerwing moaned, "No, Feathersong, it's not." She gave another shudder. "It hurts…"

"I know," he soothed. "But it won't be much longer." He placed a paw on the queens side. "Ready, Echostream?"

Echostream perched herself by the queen\s haunches. "Ready."

"Here comes the first one," Feathersong mewed. Not long after he spoke a little squirming lump popped out of Shimmerwing. Echostream licked it to get its blood flowing. She then placed it before Shimmerwing so it could suckle.

"A tom," Echostream mewed. "Strong and healthy."

Another lump fell out of Shimmerwing as she was wracked by another spasm. "A she-cat!" she announced, licking it fiercely. She placed the she-cat beside her brother.

"One more," Feathersong meowed. "Here it comes…"

One last lump fell before Echostream, and she licked it vigorously. "Another tom!" she meowed, placing him beside his littermates.

"Oh, their beautiful!" Shimmerwing gasped, licking each one till they fell over and mewled to be left alone.

The head of Patcheye poked his head inside. "How is she?" he asked. Wavepool could tell he had hurried back.

"Great," Feathersong mewed, picking up his herbs. Echostream picked up her herbs as well, as Feathersong added, "Go and see them."

They padded out, leaving room for Patcheye to come in. As soon as his gaze fell on the kits, he purred loudly. "What shall we call them?" he asked, licking the she-cats tortoiseshell head.

Shimmerwing pointed with her tail to the tortoiseshell. "This is Turtlekit, and this tom here"- she gestured with her tail to a brown-and-white tom- "this one can be called Thunderkit, because of his lightning-like stripes. But I have no name for this one here," she concluded, pointing with her tail to a silver tabby tom.

"Let's name him Silverkit," Patcheye mewed, nuzzling his son affectionately.

Tinykit, Blueheart's daughter, poked her head over her mother's belly. "Ooh!" she squeaked. "New kits!"Her brother, Firekit poked his head over Blueheart too. "What?" His gaze fell on the kits. "They're so small!" he mewed.

Blueheart pulled them down gently by their tails. "They won't be able to play for a while yet," she told them. "You have to be very careful around them."

"Yes, Mother!" the kits squeaked.

Wavepool purred. "It's great to see new kits." Then she dipped her head and left the nursery.

Later, as the sun set, Fogstar called the Clan together.

Wavepool padded up to sit below the Speaking Stone, as he yowled, "Let all cat old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Speaking Stone for a Clan meeting!"The Clan came out of their dens at the summoning. Blueheart and Petaldawn, along with their kits, came out of the nursery. Petaldawn called back, "We'll tell you what happens."

Swiftpaw, Snowpaw, and Puddlepaw hurried out of their den to sit before their mentors. Their pelts were licked clean and their eyes sparkled. Wavepool remembered what it had felt like to become a warrior.

Fogstar looked down at the apprentices fondly. "It is time that IceClan had new apprentices."

He looked at the mentors, "Fawnleap, Cedarbranch, Eaglewind, are you all satisfied with your apprentices and think they deserve to become warriors?"

"I do," they mewed in unison.

Fogstar looked down at the apprentices. "Then step forward, young cats, to ear your warrior names."

The three apprentices stepped forward, quivering.

"I call on my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained for six long moons to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them as warriors in their turn." Looking down on the apprentices with a warm amber gaze he meowed, "Snowpaw, Puddlepaw, and Swiftpaw; do you promise to uphold the warrior code and all that it stands for, and protect your Clan from all dangers, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Snowpaw whispered.

"I do!" Swiftpaw mewed, jumping up a bit.

I do," Puddlepaw meowed, dipping her head.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Fogstar mewed. "Snowpaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Snowstorm. We honour your courage and eagerness and welcome you as a full warrior of IceClan." The Clan cheered for Snowstorm before waiting for Fogstar to continue. "Puddlepaw," he meowed. "From this day forward you shall be known as Puddlesplash. We honour your stubbornness and loyalty and welcome you as a full warrior of IceClan." The Clan cheered once more, then Fogstar meowed, "Swiftpaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Swiftriver. We honour your eagerness and forethought, and welcome you as a full warrior of IceClan."

The Clan cheered, "Snowstorm! Puddlesplash! Swiftriver!"

Wavepool cheered too, and as the cheers died down, Fogstar, meowed, "As tradition, the new warriors will watch over the camp while the rest of us sleep." With that he dismissed the Clan and went into his den.

Wavepool watched the new warriors go to the entrance and settle down before she padded into the warriors den for some sleep.


	6. The Forest

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Five

The Forest

Wave pool padded outside the get Snowstorm, Puddlesplash, and Swiftriver from guard duty. "Come on, you three, time for you to get some rest."

Snowstorm yawned as she stood, her eyelids drooping. "Great," she mewed sleepily. "I feel as if I could sleep on my paws."

Swiftriver sighed. "I think I _am_ asleep on my paws.`` He stumbled into the cave after Snowstorm.

Puddlesplash stood, stretched, then mewed, "Can I go on the dawn patrol?"

Wavepool shook her head. "You just stayed up all night, guarding the camp." She purred. "Even new warriors need their rest."

"Alright." She yawned. "I guess I do need some rest." Puddlesplash padded into the mountain, with Wavepool behind her.

Wavepool started sending out the patrols quickly, so she could go and speak with Echostream about the forest. In her rush, she accidentally put Fuzzypelt on a hunting patrol and a border patrol at the same time. She quickly fixed her mistake and put Fawnleap on border duties.

After the patrols had set out, Wavepool grabbed a small bird from the pile and padded into the medicine cat cave. Echostream was busy sorting herbs, and she looked up as Wavepool entered.

"Hello, Wavepool," she mewed. "Can I help you?"

She put the bird in front of Echostream. "I brought you some fresh-kill."

"Thanks," Echostream purred, bending over to devour the bird in a few rapid bites. She sat up and licked her whiskers. "I've been looking after Shimmerwing… she keeps saying her kits aren't getting enough milk, so I've been giving her borage to help her milk come, even though she's making enough." Echostream purred with amusement. "If I keep giving her borage, the kits will soon be drowning in milk."

Wavepool purred. Then she remembered to talk to Echostream about the forest Duskpelt had told her about."Do you know anything about a forest?" she asked suddenly, lowering her voice.

Echostream glanced up from where she had continued to organise herbs. "Yes, I believe so." She glanced around, then beckoned Wavepool into a nest. They sat down and Echostream continued, "StarClan sent me a vision the other day of a lake, with moor land and marshes and forests of tall pines and oaks."

Wavepool began to get excited. "Where is this?"

Echostream flicked her tail to her right. "That way, but according to the StarClan cats, it takes many days to reach it from here. It would be a tiresome journey."

"But there _is_ a forest, right?" Wavepool pressed.

"Yes."

_This is what I've been looking for! "Do you know if any other cats live there? Or if there's Twolegs? Or anything important about-"_

"_Wavepool, calm down!" Echostream mewed, placing her tail gently on Wavepool's shoulder. "StarClan has told me nothing about any Twoleg activity, but they did hint that there's other cats living there."_

"_Really?" Wavepool asked. "Like, another Clan? Or rouges?"Echostream shook her head. "Nothing specific." She looked at Wavepool worriedly. "You're acting strange. Why do you want to know so much about the forest?"Wavepool sighed and reluctantly told Echostream about her dream. "And Duskpelt said that I have to follow the sun, to get to the woods."_

_Echostream flicked her tail thoughtfully. "You have a long journey ahead of you," she mewed. "But for now, you must stay with your Clan and keep them strong." She lowered her voice. "Fogstar lost another life this morning. Feathersong is with him now."_

_Wavepool gasped, "Oh no! Does this mean he's on his last life?""Yes," Echostream meowed, nodding. "Which means you can't leave while he's still ill. Your Clan still needs you, and you may have to become leader sooner than later."_

_Wavepool sighed. "He's just slipping away, isn't he?"_

_Echostream shook her head. "No. We're doing the best we can for him, and he's getting better."_

_Wavepool stood. "Well, thank you for speaking with me, Echostream," she mewed, bowing her head. "I'll be going now."_

_And with a dip of her head, she padded out of the medicine cat cave._


	7. Bellyache

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Six

Bellyache

Wavepool rolled over in her nest, moaning. She accidentally rolled on top of Patcheye's tail, making him call out, "Wha-? Get off!" She rolled back into her nest and curled up in a ball, her belly sore. It felt as if someone had made her eat nettles, and they were scratching her belly from the inside.

She slowly got to her paws, gritting her teeth, and padded out off the warriors cave. She staggered towards the medicine den, and collapsed inside, her breathing heavy.

Feathersong poked his head out of the medicine store. "Wavepool? What's wrong?"

"Bellyache," Wavepool groaned.

Feathersong padded towards her and poked her belly with his paw. Wavepool winced. "You're quite stiff," Feathersong remarked, padding into the store and coming out with a leaf wrap. He placed a few berries in front of Wavepool's muzzle. "Juniper berries. Eat up," he mewed. When Wavepool didn't try to ingest them, he sighed. "They don't taste too bad. And they'll help with your bellyache."Wavepool nodded, still gritting her teeth, then ate a couple of the berries. They were completely bland.

"And if that doesn't work," Feathersong meowed from inside the medicine store, where he had gone to put the rest of the herbs, "I have some watermint and mallow. They'll both work." He stuck his head out and eyed Wavepool curiously. "Did you maybe eat some bad fresh-kill?"Wavepool nodded, slowly getting to her paws. Her legs were wobbly. "I think it was a bad bird," she mewed, padding into a small nest, where patients usually rested.

Feathersong appeared with some more herbs. "Daisy," he mewed. "To help with your stiff joints."

Echostream padded into the den then, with a large clump of herbs in her jaws and tucked under her chin. She dropped them on the ground when she saw Wavepool laying on the nest, sick.

Feathersong let out a hiss of annoyance. "Watch what you do with that, Echostream! You'll damage it.""Sorry, Feathersong," Echostream mumbled. She quickly picked up the herbs and took them into the store.

Feathersong shook his head and turned back to Wavepool. "Eat up the daisy. And if you want, I can get you some poppy seeds to help with the pain."

Wavepool licked up the small flowers. "Thanks." After doing so she yawned. She winced, however, as her belly let out a rumble. She moaned and flopped her head down on the moss.

Eaglewind padded in then, meowing, "Mosspelt thinks she has ticks, so I just came in for some mouse b-" When he saw Wavepool, he raced forward. "Wavepool? Are you okay?"Wavepool shook her head numbly. "Bellyache," she croaked.

Eaglewind ran his tail along her flank. "She'll be alright, won't she?" he asked, not taking his worried blue gaze away from Wavepool's face.

"Of course she will!" Feathersong snapped. "I've treated her with every remedy that works, and she's gotten a lot better since she set paw in this den."

Eaglewind bent down and gaze Wavepool's ears a comforting lick. "Good." He stepped back and turned to Feathersong. "Now, about that mouse bile…" The two tom's voices faded away as they headed into the medicine store.

Echostream sighed. "You can't be sick. You have a destiny to fulfill."

"I know," Wavepool mumbled. "But I mustn't be so great if I can't even fight off a bellyache."

Suddenly, Fogstar's yowl sounded, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Speaking Stone for a Clan meeting!"

Wavepool padded out of the den slowly, with Echostream just behind. She forced herself to look fine; after all, she was the deputy, and she needed to look healthy, for the sake of her Clan and their consciences. She sat down at the foot of the Stone and waited for the Clan to assemble.

Petaldawn was busy licking her kits' fur, making them look sleek and well groomed. Fogstar gazed down at the three kits and beckoned them forward with his tail.

"Mousekit, Sweetkit, and Songkit, you have all reached the age of six moons, and it's time for you to become apprenticed. From this day onward, until the day that you three receive your warrior names, you will be known as Mousepaw, Sweetpaw, and Songpaw. I now ask StarClan to watch you and guide you on the path of a warrior."

He turned to Sleepytail and Fuzzypelt. "Sleepytail, you received excellent training from your mentor, Rockcrest, and I trust that you will pass on the skills you learned from him to Mousepaw."

Sleepytail nodded and touched noses with her new apprentice.

"Fuzzypelt, you have shown great courage and strength in battle, and I trust that you will pass on these skills to Songpaw."

Songpaw padded over to her mentor and touched noses with him, her eyes shining.

Then Fogstar looked down at Wavepool. "Wavepool, you earned your warrior name by showing the Clan your courage and thoughtfulness. I trust that you will pass on the wonderful skills to Sweetpaw."

Wavepool dipped her head and watched as Sweetpaw padded over and touched her pink nose to her own.

"Sweetpaw! Mousepaw! Songpaw!" the Clan cheered.

Firekit and Tinykit, the new apprentices old denmates, hopped over to the apprentices.

"You're apprentices now!" Tinykit mewled, her amber eyes wide.

Firekit pounced on Mousepaw's tail. "You have to teach me everything you know!"

Mousepaw purred. "I'll try," he vowed.

Sweetpaw padded over to Wavepool "So what am I going to learn first?"The juniper berries Feathersong gave her were starting to work; Wavepool felt good enough to take her apprentice out for a bit. "I think I'll take you out for moss collecting."Sweetpaw looked fallen. "What?""I'm kidding," Wavepool purred. "I'll show you the territory."She perked up. "Okay." She turned to her littermates. "I'm going to check out our territory," she boasted.

"So what. I'm going **hunting**_," _Mousepaw mewed.

Sleepytail yawned. "Not for long though. I need to catch up on my sleep." With a quick glance at Wavepool, she mewed, "I've been on watch for two nights in a row.""It won't happen again," Wavepool answered, getting the not-so-subtle hint. "Sorry about that, Sleepytail."

Sleepytail snorted. "See that it doesn't."

Sweetpaw poked Songpaw. "Maybe Fuzzypelt will let you come along with me to look at our territory!"

Fuzzypelt shook his head at the apprentices before Songpaw could ask. "We're going to go collect moss."

"What?" Songpaw gaped, following her mentor out of the cave.

Wavepool gestured with her tail to her apprentice. "Come on, Sweetpaw. Let's head out before we lose much more daylight."

She padded out of the cave, Sweetpaw just behind her. As they rounded a bend in the mountain path, it begun to snow. Wavepool sneezed as one got up her nose. She glanced behind her to see Sweetpaw jumping up and down, trying to grab the flakes in her paws as they fell.

"Is this your first snow-fall?""Yeah," Sweetpaw mewed, grabbing one and examining it as it melted on her pad. "They're so cold!"

"They are," Wavepool agreed. She waved her tail around at the surroundings. "Now here is what we call the Flat Rocks. In greenleaf, when most of the snow is gone and its warmer, we lay down on the rocks to warm up. But, we have to watch out for snakes sometimes."

Sweetpaw cocked her head to the side. "Snakes?"

"Long venomous creatures that will bite you if you get too close," Wavepool warned.

Her apprentice shivered. "That's terrible," she mewed as the kept going.

Wavepool flicked her ears. "Here is the end of our territory. You are not allowed past the scent marks here. You can smell our Clan scent, all along this ridge. Memorise it, and look for it so you know where the borders are."Sweetpaw scented the air, and nodded. "It smells like the Clan."

"So it should be easy to recognise," Wavepool meowed. "Now, let's go check out the Frosted Tree…"They explored the territory until the sun began to sank. Wavepool glanced at the pink sky. "Time to go home, Sweetpaw."

"Alright." Sweetpaw yawned. "I can't wait to tell Mousepaw and Songpaw what I saw." Her eyes widened. "Our territory is so huge!"Wavepool lead the way back to the cave, occasionally pausing to let the weary Sweetpaw catch up.

As they entered the cave, her belly gave a loud growl, and Wavepool collapsed onto her side. Sweetpaw gasped and tried to nudge her back to her paws, but Wavepool moaned for her to keep away. Eaglewind came rushing up to her, with Feathersong and Echostream just behind him. Wavepool saw their jaws open and close as they spoke, but she couldn't hear them. She gave another moan as her belly yowled again, and she blacked out.


	8. Confessions

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Seven

Confessions

Wavepool blinked open her eyes. She was in the medicine den. She felt the rise and fall of a body beside her, and turned to see Eaglewind, sleeping beside her, their pelts touching. His warmth swept through her fur, making her feel cozy.

Suddenly, she remembered the bellyache and sat up, looking around. A small cat sat a few tail-lengths away from her, in the shadows of the cave.

"Duskpelt!" she mewed.

The light-brown tabby padded into a small beam of moonlight. "I have come to assist you." She curled her tail, beckoning Wavepool to her. "Follow me."Wavepool stood up slowly. She glanced back at the sleeping figure of Eaglewind. "But… who will take over for me while I am gone?""You are simply dreaming," Duskpelt meowed. "You will not be gone long."

She padded out of the den briskly, small stars sparking against the stone where she walked. Wavepool followed her. The tabby led her outside, then gazed down the side of the mountain. She turned to Wavepool, mewing, "Now leap down, and follow me."Before Wavepool could point out that they'd kill themselves if they jumped from this height, Duskpelt leaped off the edge and disappeared into the fog. Wavepool gulped, and with a slight bit of courage, leaped off of the edge of the cliff, the fog swallowing her.

She landed lightly at the bottom of Kit Mountain. Duskpelt twitched her ears for her to follow, then vanished around a bend. Wavepool raced after her, catching up quickly. The two-she cats raced alongside each other, Wavepool feeling like she could run forever. Finally, they neared the edge of a cliff, and they halted. "This is known as the sun-drown place," mewed Duskpelt. Then she turned and raced along the edge, Wavepool hard on her paws.

After quite awhile, Wavepool slowed down so she didn't crash into Duskpelt. The tabby she-cat was waiting for her, on the top of a hill. Wavepool felt the coarse grass under her paws as she slowly padded to where Duskpelt had sat down. Duskpelt whisked her tail in front of her. "This is where you must go."

Wavepool gasped, looking down and seeing a large stretch of moor, that became boggy as it neared a large lake. A forest lay on one side, and a reedy marsh lay on the other. Straight across from the moor was an area covered in black, that Wavepool recognised as Twoleg stuff.

"I have to come here?" Wavepool breathed, watching the stars twinkle on the surface of the lake.

"Yes," answered Duskpelt. She slowly began to fade away.

Wavepool cried out as the lake vanished and blackness enfolded her in a muffled blanket. Duskpelt's voice sounded, as clear as if she were standing beside Wavepool; "You must go to the woods. See out a cat known as Jayfeather. He will help you."

Wavepool blinked her eyes open to sunlight. Eaglewind stood in front of her, holding a hare in his jaws. "I brought you some fresh kill," he mewed, dropping it in front of her.

Wavepool's belly yowled with hunger. "Thanks," she meowed. She added, "You want some?"

Eaglewind's eyes shone. "Sure." He lay down beside her and they shared the hare.

As Wavepool licked her whiskers clean and began to wash her face, Eaglewind mewed softly, "Wavepool, I have to tell you something."

She stopped cleaning her face and turned to him, her ears giving a little twitch. "Uh, what's that?"

He breathed in deeply, as if debating whether to say something or not. Then he gazed into Wavepool's eyes with a gentle, blue gaze. "I-… I really like you Wavepool."

Wavepool gave a start. "What do you mean?"

"I… I want to be with you, Wavepool. As…" He looked hopeful. "As your… mate."Wavepool gaped. Eaglewind? He wanted **her** to be his mate? Why not one of the prettier she-cats, the more motherly? Like Fawnleap, or Drizzlefoot?

"I-I don't know what to say…" Wavepool floundered for words. "I mean, I like you and all, and you're a good friend, but…"

"_But that's just it," Eaglewind interrupted. "I want to be more than friends! I want to be with you forever." He gazed into her eyes solemnly. "I love you Wavepool."_

_Wavepool had begun to feel sick._

_Eaglewind rose from beside Wavepool. "I have to go. Fogstar wants me on border patrol." With a last hopeful glance back at Wavepool, he padded out of the den._

_Wavepool lay her head down on her paws. "How could he love me?" Wavepool murmured to herself. Not wanting to think about it much longer, she closed her eyes. But it was awhile before sleep came over her._


	9. Feast

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Eight

Feast

Two days later, Wavepool was back at her duties as deputy. She padded alongside her apprentice, Sweetpaw, and Fawnleap and Gullfeather. They were hunting.

Gullfeather spotted an eagle in the sky and pointed it out with his tail, mewing, "Eagle right above us."Sweetpaw, who had been carrying a mouse, put her prey down and meowed, " Are we going to catch it?"Wavepool nodded. "Today will be your first day learning how to catch large birds of prey." She picked up Sweetpaw's mouse and padded to a tall rock. She placed it on top and padded off, crouching behind a crop of rocks. She waved her tail for the rest of the patrol to join her.

Turning to Sweetpaw, she mewed quietly, "Now watch, and wait for the eagle."There was a loud screech and the bird flew down from the sky. It landed a few mouse tails from the mouse. "NOW!" Wavepool cried.

The patrol leaped forward before the bird could grab the mouse. Gullfeather and Fawnleap attacked it's large wings, and Sweetpaw slashed at its face, her claws ripping through its eyes. Wavepool leaped on top of it and bit its neck, her teeth sinking deep into the flesh. The eagle screeched loudly, and then Wavepool killed it and slashed at its neck, bursting over its throat so the blood spilled onto the stones. It left out a soft cry, then fell to the stones with a soft thud.

Sweetpaw gasped. "That's so big! It'll feed the whole Clan!"

Fawnleap purred. "It's a rare gift from StarClan to have such a large meal."

"Especially in the middle of leaf bare," Gullfeather agreed with a nod of his head. "We'll finally have our bellies filled."

Wavepool slipped under the body of the eagle. "Gullfeather, mind helping me carrying this back?"

He crawled underneath with Wavepool, and together they carried the eagle back, with Sweetpaw and Fawnleap behind them.

When Sunrock started to leave the cave with the sunhigh patrol, he stopped dead in his tracks and licked his lips, his eyes sparkling. "Wow! That'll feed everyone!"

Wavepool grunted in response, carrying the eagle inside with Gullfeather behind her.

Echostream padded out of the nursery, her pelt looking ruffled as the patrol walked in.

Turtlekit, Thunderkit, and Silverkit tumbled out of the nursery. "Wow!" Turtlekit squeaked. "Can we really eat all of that?"

Thunderkit butted her with his head. "No! It's for the whole Clan silly!"

Silverkit padded right up to the eagle where Wavepool and Gullfeather had set it down. He leaped up on one of its wings. "Roar!" he growled. "I just caught some fresh-kill!"

His littermates pelted after him, leaping up on top the fresh-kill. Patcheye, their father, rushed over and pulled the kits off the eagle gently by their scruffs. "Easy there," he mewed as he placed them down on the ground one by one. "The Clan has to eat that, They don't need to have to have all these dirty kit prints all over it."

"Sorry, Patcheye," the kits chorused.

Shimmerwing padded out of the nursery, with Blueheart just behind.. "Are my little warriors misbehaving?" Shimmerwing mewed, with a swift glance at the kits.

Silverkit raced over, skidding to a halt in front of his mother. "I caught an eagle!"

Blueheart licked her lips. She turned and stuck her head in the nursery. "Peataldawn! Come and look! The patrol brought back an eagle!"

Petaldawn poked her head out of the nursery, her eyes sparkling. "Coming!" the queen mewed.

Wavepool flopped onto the ground, exhausted. The eagle was very heavy. She watched, pleased as the Clan gathered around the large catch, eyes sparkling, purring loudly. Fogstar padded out of his den and stood at the head of the eagle, in the traditional large prey ceremony. Wave pool padded over and sat to the right of him, and Gullfeather to the left.

Shimmerwing nudged her kits into the nursery. "You can have prey when your older, but now, it's a strict diet of milk, my sweets."

"I, Fogstar of IceClan, call upon my warrior ancestors. We thank you for this very large meal that you have sent us, and we honour your kindness," Fogstar meowed.

Every cat bowed their head, mewing, "Thank you StarClan."

"Let us feast!" Fogstar called, and very cat began to feast upon the eagle.

Wavepool had her fill and ripped off a large chunk of meat to take to Shimmerwing, then saw that Patcheye had beaten her to it. So she carried the chunk into the elders den, where Fishleap, Mosspelt, and Snowfall lay, chatting. They turned to Wavepool, their eyes sparkling.

"My, my," Fishleap mewed, gazing at the meat as Wavepool placed it in front of the elders. She looked at Wavepool. "Catch an eagle, did we?"

Wavepool nodded, while Mosspelt hissed, "Shame we can't go out there and join the Clan."

Snowpelt flicked her ear with his tail fondly. "Oh come on, Mosspelt. You and I both know you couldn't get out of your nest even if you wanted to." He glanced at the deputy, his eyes shining with amusement.

Mosspelt sighed, her fur lying flat. "I suppose," she grumbled.

Fishleap dipped her head to Wavepool. "Thank you for bringing this to us," the silver-tabby mewed, her blue eyes kind.

Wavepool nodded. "Your welcome," she mewed. Then she padded out of the den.

She raced to the remains of the eagle, where a patrol was starting to lift it to carry to the edge of the mountain. "I'll come!" she meowed. They waited for her to come over, then as one single unit, the patrol lifted the eagle's remains upward. They padded out of the cave, and when they reached the edge of the cliff, they gave one mighty shove. The remains of the eagle fell down the cliff.

Sleepytail shook herself. "I think I got a few feathers stuck in my fur."

Swiftriver flicked her ear with his tail. "C'mon," he mewed. "I'll get them out for you when we get back inside."

Sleepytail purred. "Alright." The two cats padded into the cave, their tails entwined.

Sunrock yawned. "Well, now that I'm full, I'll need a good rest." He padded into the cave slowly, his tail dragging on the ground.

Wavepool followed more slowly. As she lay down in her nest of feathers and moss, she recalled how Sleepytail, normally grumpy, had been happy to be with Swiftriver. She closed her eyes.

_Is that what it's like to have a mate? Is that what I might be missing out on?_


	10. Decisions

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Nine

Decisions

Wavepool woke before dawn, stretching her limbs. She glanced around the warriors cave; Sleepytail and Swiftriver were curled up together, and Drizzlefoot was brushing pelts with Cedarbranch.

**Does every cat in the Clan have mates? **Wavepool wondered.

She shook her fur and padded out of the den. She halted when she saw Fogstar limping towards Feathersong's den. She hurried over to him, mewing, "Fogstar! What's wrong?"

He turned his head to look at her with tired eyes. His pelt was ruffled and looked like it hadn't been washed in moons. "I'm sick again," he rasped. Wavepool winced; his voice sounded like stone scraping on stone.

Eachostream padded out of the medicine cave at the sound of Fogstar's mew. She placed a small bundle of herbs at his paws and began sorting through them, meowing curtly, "Symptoms?"

"I have an aching throat, and a cough, and my bones are creaking," Fogstar mumbled. "And the pain in my bones is not from just old age, young Echostream."

She nodded. "Alright. I can give you honey for the throat, daisy and ragwort for the bones and joints and…" She pawed through a few more herbs before continuing, "Yes, and coltsfoot. That'll help you're cough."

"I don't care what it does," growled Fogstar after a bout of coughing. "As long as it works, I don't care if its hare dung."

"Shame there's no herb for grouchy cats," Echostream remarked good humouredly, pushing the herbs towards her leader. "Nothing a little sleep won't do, though," she added, wetting her pad and picking a few poppy seeds off a leaf. She held out her pad to Fogstar, who had just finished eating the other herbs. He licked them up slowly, then dipped his head and padded back into his den, his tail drooping.

Echostrean shook her head. "He's getting worse I think," she mewed worriedly. "I don't know how much longer he can hold out before losing another life."

Wavepool brushed up against her friend. "You've done all you can," she meowed softly. "His health is in the paws of StarClan now."

Echostream sighed. "You're right. Anyways, what are you doing up so early?"

Wavepool glanced around, to make sure no one was near. "I need to talk to you about the forest again."

The medicine cat rolled her eyes. "I think you're giving this too much thought."

"You're the one who prophesised it!" Wavepool snapped. "Now come on, we need to go somewhere private."

Wavepool led the way out of the cave, and padded around a corner, stopping at the mountain river. Echostream sat in front of her friend, wrapping her tail around her paws neatly, her ears pricked to listen. Wavepool began to tell about how Duskpelt had padded in her dreams, showing her which way to go, adding near the end of her tale, "She also told me about some cat called Jayfeather. I think he's a warrior, but Duskpelt said he could help me figure out my destiny. I have to go to him!"

Echostream had nodded throughout the story, but now she shook her head. "You can't. You have a duty, here, with your Clan."

"But how am I to protect them from the flame if I don't know what to look for?" Wavepool retorted. "Besides, I think Sunrock will be able to take over for a few days."

"Who's going to go with you? You can't just go out there alone!" Echostream mewed. Before Wavepool could respond, she mewed, "No. I'll come with you."

Wavepool opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it and nodded. "Alright. Maybe we should take another warrior…?"

Echostream purred. "I know just who to ask."

"You want me to do WHAT?" Fuzzypelt cried.

Wavepool and Echostream had gone to convince him to come on the journey. Wavepool looked at him now, her eyes pleading. "Please? It'll be fun!"

"We're not kits anymore," he growled. "We can't just leave! What about our Clan?"

Echostream rolled her blue eyes. "We were going to inform Fogstar, you stupid furball." She flicked his ear with her tail.

"But… where will this journey take us?" Fuzzypelt mewed, suddenly looking frightened.

"To a forest, beyond the mountains," Echostream replied.

Wavepool nodded. "So will you come with us?"Fuzzypelt glanced from Echostream to Wavepool and back again. Then he sighed. "Alright. I'll come."

Echostream purred, touching her nose to his muzzle. "Great! Now let's go tell Fogstar!"

Fogstar sat up, his eyes suddenly bright. "And StarClan sent you this message?"

"Yes, Fogstar," Wavepool mewed. "And I have decided to listen to their message."

His tail flicked. "So when will you be back?"

Wavepool shared a worried glance with Echostream. "Er… soon enough. No more than a moon."

"A moon!" he mewed, his eyes widening. Then he shook his head. "I always knew there were good things in store for you, Wavepool." With a twinkle in his eye, he added, "That's why I made you deputy."

Wavepool felt embarrassed. "Oh…"

"Well, I suppose nothing I say will change your mind. You're obviously quite intent on obeying the will of StarClan." He flicked his ears. "My, my! You must be very impressive for Breezestar to visit you; she wasn't impressed by anyone! But I must've done a good job; I am leader now, after all." He purred. "My wishes go will you three."

The three cats dipped their heads, then padded out of their leaders den.

Wavepool's eyes sparkled. "We leave first thing at dawn!"


	11. Midnight

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Ten

Midnight

Wavepool waved her tail at her Clan. "We'll be back soon!" she called.

Fuzzypelt and Echostream were beside her, meowing goodbyes to their Clanmates. She turned to them. "Let's go," she mewed. "We don't want to lose daylight."

They began to follow the sun, climbing down the mountain until they passed the Twoleg den where Vinny and Garcia lived. The two kittypets were sitting outside as the three cats passed.

Vinny called out, "Where you off to?"

"We're on a quest!" Fuzzypelt meowed, his eyes shining.

Echostream flicked her tail at Garcia. "We'll come see you on our way back!" she called.

Garcia responded with a loud purr. "Alright. Goodbye! And best of luck!"

Wavepool nodded. "Bye!" The three cats continued down the mountain. As they reached the bottom, their pads brushed against coarse grass. Wavepool glanced up at the sun. By now, it was sunhigh. They hurried around the bottom of Kit Mountain. Soon, they reached the other side, and the mountains were nothing but purple smudges against the pale blue sky. A light snow began to fall.

Echostream padded towards an odd tree, with branches drooping down to the ground. She sniffed it, then called back, "I think there'll be shelter in here, from the snow and the wind."

Fuzzypelt nodded, then padded into the shelter of the branches. Wavepool glanced around, opening her mouth to draw in scents of prey. They hadn't eaten since they left the Clan.

Wavepool dropped into the hunters crouch, spotting an odd creature in the grass, nibbling seeds. She pounced on it, killing it with one swift bite to the neck. She padded back to the tree, going inside, the branches scratching her pelt. She placed the animal in front of Fuzzypelt and Echostream.

"I caught some fresh-kill," she mewed.

Fuzzypelt stared at it. "It's huge! What is it?"Echostream looked at it intently, before meowing, "Feathersong told me we'd encounter odd prey." She sniffed the fresh-kill and glanced at her Clanmates. "I think its edible."

Fuzzypelt bent forward cautiously and took a bite. He chewed thoughtfully, swallowed, then mewed, "Delicious!"

The three cats each ate their share, then curled up together in a makeshift nest of moss and bracken. They all soon fell asleep.

The next morning, they set out again. Wavepool kept checking the suns position in the sky. "We're almost there," she meowed. "I can feel it."

Suddenly, the grass underneath her paws vanished, and she fell down onto hard stone with a yelp. She looked up to see Echostream and Fuzzypelt's heads peeking over the edge. "I'm fine!" she called up. "Come down here! There's a cave!"

Echostream glanced at Fuzzypelt, then leaped over the edge, landing beside Wavepool. Fuzzypelt soon joined them. Wavepool shook small droplets of water from her fur. Waves crashed against the rocks where they stood, the water having and odd salty smell. Wavepool opened her mouth and drew in scents over her glands. Her fur bristled. "Badger," she warned. They slowly padded deeper into the cave.

They came to an abrupt halt when Wavepool saw two beady eyes staring at them in the darkness. A loud voice rumbled throughout the space of the cave. "Welcome, cats." A badger stepped forward.

Fuzzypelt stood in front of Echostream, protecting her from the badger; she had no defence training. `Who are you?" he growled.

The badger swung her head to look at Fuzzypelt. "I am Midnight." She stepped forward and sniffed at Fuzzypelt, who flinched at her smell. She stepped back, her eyes puzzled. "You are not forest cats. You smell of mountains and snowfall." She leaned in, and when she spoke, her hot breath washed over Wavepool like a wave; "Who are **you?"**

"**I'm Wavepool," Wavepool meowed. She forced her voice to stay calm as she continued, "These are my Clanmates, Fuzzypelt and Echostream."**

"**Clan!" Midnight gasped, laying down. "What Clan?"**

"**IceClan," Fuzzypelt meowed, curling his lip.**

**The badger shook her head. "Never heard of them. But they are good Clan, yes? Raise strong warriors," she huffed.**

**Wavepool summoned up the courage to speak to Midnight about the forest. "Erm… Midnight, do you know about any… forest cats?"Midnight nodded. "Yes. Many moons past, great many cats were forced away from their home. Had to find new home. Midnight help them find new home." She pointed with her muzzle, out of the cave. "Cats go in that direction. Midnight came and helped once afterwards. Clan cats no come to me no more." She sighed wistfully. "They have found a new home, and new life."**

"**Can you tell us which way to go?" Echostream asked, stepping forward.**

**The badger nodded. "Yes. Just go that way." She pointed with her muzzle again. "They not too far off. No more than two days journey."**

**Wavepool dipped her head to the badger. "Thank you Midnight," she mewed excitedly. "You've been such a big help."**

**She dipped her head in return. "StarClan has destined you for great things, young cat." She winked at Wavepool before disappearing farther into the caves darkness.**

**Fuzzypelt lead the way out of the cave. They clambered up rocks until they reached the top. Wavepool's eyes were shining. "We're that much closer!" she mewed.**


	12. Jayfeather

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Eleven

Jayfeather

That night, as the cats of StarClan danced above their haeds in the formation of Silverpelt, Wavepool lead her friends towards where Midnight had directed them. Suddenly, Fuzzypelt let out a yowl and jumped up, his eyes wide. He shook a front paw.

"What happened?" Wavepool asked, spinning around.

Echostream turned and examined his pad. "He's trod on a thorn," she mewed, amused at his look of sheer horror.

"It hurts!" he wailed. Echostream rolled her eyes and pulled the thorn out of his pad. It began to bleed. "It's bleeding now!" he cried, licking his pad furiously.

"Hm," Echostream meowed, glancing at the now clean wound. "It is, isn't it?"

Wavepool suppressed a _**mrrow **_of laughter after a sharp glance from Fuzzypelt. Then he gasped, his tail pointing behind Wavepool, his fur bristling. She turned around to see a small group of cats haring towards them, their teeth bared and claws unsheathed. Wavepool unsheathed her own claws; Echostream laid a tail on her shoulder to calm her.

A first cat padded up to Wavepool; his pelt smelt like heather and wind. "What are you doing on our territory?" he hissed. His companions arched their backs aggressively.

Wavepool forced her voice to stay calm. "We are just passing through," she mewed to the black tom. "We didn't know this was your territory."

"I'm sure you didn't," spat another tom, a large grey tom.

"Boulderpaw, keep quiet!" hissed the black tom. "I'm trying to get rid of intruders!"

A grey she-cat stepped forward; her pelt was bristling, but her voice was calm. "Breezepelt, step aside. I'll handle these cats." With a glance at Wavepool she added in a hushed tone, "They don't seem threatening."

Breezepelt stepped backwards, but his claws remained unsheathed and his lip still curled in a snarl.

The she-cat dipped her head. "Sorry about Breezepelt. He's a bit cranky sometimes."

"Uh… that's okay," Wavepool meowed.

"I am Ashfoot of WindClan. And you are?"

"Well, I'm Wavepool and this is Fuzzypelt and the apprentice medicine cat, Echostream," Wavepool introduced, waving her tail to each cat in turn.

Ashfoot tipped her head to one side. "Those sound like Clan names," she murmured curiously. "Are you from a Clan?""Yes," Echostream replied. "IceClan." When the WindClan cats looked confused, she whisked her tail towards the mountains. "We live up there."

"Huh? What about the Tribe?" Breezepelt muttered, almost to himself.

"What's he talking about?" Fuzzypelt grumbled in Wavepool's ear. "I think he must've eaten a bad mouse or something…"

"So, what are you doing here then?" Boulderpaw snarled. "Did you get lost?"

"Don't be a mouse-brain," Fuzzypelt hissed. "We're not stupid you know."

"We're here to look for a cat who will, er- help us," Wavepool mewed, ignoring Fuzzypelt.

"And what's this cat's name?" Ashfoot asked. "His name is Jayfeather."

Breezepelt's fur bristled as Wavepool finished. "What do you want with that worthless-" Ashfoot flicked her tail over Breezepelt's mouth.

"He is not of our Clan," she meowed.

Fuzzypelt looked amazed. "There's more than one? How do you feed yourselves?"

"We manage," Ashfoot assured. "But, yes, there are four Clans; ShadowClan, RiverClan, ThunderClan, and WindClan."

"I see," Wavepool muttered. How did they all get enough to eat? "And which Clan is Jayfeather in?"

"He's in ThunderClan," Ashfoot replied, pulling her tail away from Breezepelt's mouth to point to a large stand of trees. "That way."

Wavepool began getting excited. **That's the same forest in my dream! **"Thank you so much!" she mewed.

"We promise not to bother you again," Echostream added, dipping her head.

Wavepool flicked her tail and her friends followed, leaving the WindClan cats behind. They padded down the hill and leaped nimbly over a stream. Fuzzypelt scented the air.

"I think there's someone coming," he warned.

"Quickly, into this bush!" Echostream whispered. The cats leaped into the cover of a holly bush just as a cat came into sight.

He was a sleek grey tabby tom and his brilliant blue eyes were slightly faded due to blindness. He turned, and stared right at the holly bush.

"No point in hiding in there," he mewed, amused. "I can smell you."

Wavepool took a deep breath as she slid out from under the bush. Her comrades followed.

The tabby looked them up and down (even thought he's **blind** Wavepool reminded herself) and sniffed. "I don't recognise your scent, but you do smell like the mountains." He curled his lip. "And yet, you are not Tribe cats… who are you?"

"I am Wavepool of IceClan," Wavepool meowed proudly. "These are my Clanmates; warrior Fuzzypelt and medicine cat apprentice Echostream." He turned his head to each cat as Wavepool spoke their names. Then, wary, she mewed, "Who are you?"

"I am the medicine cat of ThunderClan," he mewed. "And my name is Jayfeather."


	13. Battle

**Before I begin this chapter, I'd just like to mention that an idea came from Scarheart of DarkClan, **

**and I decided to use it. Scarheart, I hope you enjoy your idea. :) **

* * *

><p>Indigo Twilight<p>

Chapter Twelve

Battle

Wavepool's voice shook with excitement. "So will you help me?" She had just finished telling her story about the dream, and how Duskpelt said Jayfeather could help her.

Jayfeather twitched his tail. "Right now, I'm trying to find out my own answers. But, I should be able to help." His eyes shone. "Maybe you're quest will help me on my own. So, what answers are you looking for?"

Wavepool glanced at Echostream. "Uh, that's just it; the StarClan cats didn't tell me a thing, other than you could help me."

"Why does every cat think I have the answers," Jayfeather suddenly snarled. "I don't!"

Wavepool stepped back. "Er, sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, I have an idea," Jayfeather muttered, his ears pricking up. "We'll go to the Moonpool, and search for the answers-"

Suddenly there was an ear-splitting yowl and a patrol of cats charged through the undergrowth, heading straight for Wavepool and her Clanmates. She gave a screech as one of the cats, a muscular tabby tom scratched her along her flank. She whirled on him and leaped atop his back, flipping him over and digging her hind claws into his belly fur. He let out a wail and struggled to get free before finally pushing her off.

Wavepool glanced around. Fuzzypelt was wrestling with a ginger-and-white spotted she-cat, and Echostream had backed into the holly bush, swiping at a pure white tom, hissing. Wavepool ran over to help her, but the tabby leaped onto her back and pinned her down. She let out a hiss and reached up, clawing open his nose. Blood spattered on the ground. He hissed and fell off Wavepool, and she raced forward to help Echostream. She jumped onto the white tom's back and began clawing out his long white fur. He yowled in pain. Wavepool glanced over her shoulder to see the ginger-and-white she-cat haring towards her, and Wavepool leaped up as the she-cat jumped for her. She crashed into the white tom with a startled yowl, and they tumbled into the holly bush where Echostream hid. There was a loud hiss; the two cats stumbled out from underneath, bleeding from their muzzles. Echostream came out and continued to slash at them. Wavepool turned to see Fuzzypelt raking his claws on the tabby's belly. They were winning the fight!

Another patrol appeared through the undergrowth, led by a long haired grey tom. He meowed something, startled, before charging towards Wavepool, bowling her over. She struggled to get her breath back as the tom bent down to bite her neck. She slashed at his muzzle and rolled out of the way. She jumped up, and the grey tom called out for another cat. A grey she-cat with darker stripes came over to help, and the two of them began battering Wavepool with their big paws. Wavepool tried to duck and dive, but she was too tired and not as quick. She was flipped onto her belly by the she-cat, then felt claws prick the skin under her fur as the tom sunk in his claws. She watched as Fuzzypelt was knocked down by the ginger-and-white she-cat and white tom, and Echostream cornered in the holly bush by a pale ginger she-cat and the tabby tom. Jayfeather was no where to be seen. A yowl resounded around the trees, and a familiar golden figure leaped onto the grey tom, knocking him into the grey she-cat. Wavepool looked up to see Eaglewind, his lip curled.

"Leave her alone!" he hissed, clawing at the grey tom and she-cat.

Wavepool got to her paws and, side-by-side, helped Eaglewind get rid of the grey cats, leaving them to run away through the undergrowth. Then they turned on the cats holding Fuzzypelt down, clawing their muzzles and flanks. They raced off after their companions. Wavepool got Fuzzypelt to his paws, then watched in amazement as Eaglewind grasped the scruff of the tabby tom and flung him against a tree. The tabby tom went limp, and the ginger she-cat snarled insults at Eaglewind. He simply bit her tail, and she ran off, leaving a trail of blood from her tail behind her.

Wavepool padded up to Eaglewind, rubbing her muzzle against his. "Thank you!" she mewed, stepping back. "We would have been killed if you hadn't shown up."

Eagelwind purred, his blue eyes shining. "I couldn't have just left you to die, could I?"

Fuzzypelt limped over, Echostream helping him. She stared at Eaglewind. "What are you doing here? I thought you were back at home, in the cave."

"I, well, uh…" Eaglewind stuttered, glancing quickly from Wavepool to Echostream and back again. "Well, I uh…" He hung his head in shame. "I followed you here."

"Why?" Wavepool screeched. "I never asked you to come! And why would you follow us? What does this quest mean to you?"

"Everything. Because it's about you Wavepool," Eaglewind breathed. "Remember? I care for you."

Wavepool curled her lip in disgust. "I don't care," she hissed. "Just leave me alone!" She turned to Fuzzypelt and Echostream. "Come on. Let's go find Jayfeather."

Before Eaglewind could protest, Wavepool pointed Echostream and Fuzzypelt in the direction Jayfeather went, and stepped through a wall of brambles, separating herself from Eaglewind.


	14. ThunderClan

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Thirteen

ThunderClan

Wavepool tried tracking Jayfeather by his scent, but the unfamiliar scents of the forest overpowered his scent, making him difficult to follow. She sighed and turned back to her Clanmates.

"I can't find him," she mewed to Fuzzypelt. "It smells too different here."

Echostream padded forward, drawing air over her scent glands. "Smells like the pine cluster back home," she mewed thoughtfully. "Jayfeather is a medicine cat, right? So he'll smell like herbs, definitely."

Fuzzypelt got to his paws, gritting his teeth. "Then let's just look for the scent of herbs among a whole area of plants," he grumbled, his ears flat.

"Herbs smell different from other plants, smarty!" Echostream hissed, whipping around to glare at Fuzzypelt.

"Not that I would know," he mewed rolling his eyes. "I have better things to do than sort through herbs all day."

"If there never was a medicine cat, all you warriors would be injured all the time and wouldn't heal properly. Then you couldn't defend your Clan."

Wavepool stepped between the quarrelling cats. "Calm down you two.""HALT!" a voice cried.

Wavepool turned around to see the brown tabby stalking towards her. A cream coloured tom padded beside him, and a light brown tom behind them. The brown tabby halted a tail length away from the IceClan cats. He curled up his lip, snarling, "Who are you, and what are you doing on ThunderClan territory?""We were looking for… er-…" How could Wavepool say that they were looking for the ThunderClan medicine cat? **Might as well just say it… **"We're looking for Jayfeather. He knows us, and we need to speak with him."

The creamy tom jumped forward, bristling. "Why should we believe you!"

The light brown tom pulled him back by the tail, gently. "Easy there, Berrynose. No need to start another fight," he murmured. Wavepool strained to hear him.

Berrynose sniffed. "We'd win anyways."

The tabby tom meowed, "If what you are saying is true, then we shall escort you back to our camp." He glanced at Berrynose, whose mouth was open in disbelief. "Firestar should meet you."

He turned and led the way through the ferns, Berrynose and the light brown tom running behind the IceClan cats to make sure they didn't run away. As the tabby led them deeper into the forest, Berrynose muttered, "I hope Brambleclaw knows that he's leading dangerous cats right into our camp."

The brown top purred. "He wouldn't do it for no good reason, Berrynose, believe you me."

"But you're too soft, Birchfall," Berrynose retorted as they reached a thorn barrier. "You'd let ShadowClan cross the border and eat our prey and sleep in our dens if you had your way."

Brambleclaw halted at a gap in the thorns. He turned and glared at the IceClan cats. "You will not try to harm our Clan, nor frighten them, or bother them. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Echostream mewed, straight-faced.

"Of course," Wavepool mewed, dipping her head.

Fuzzypelt grumbled, "Whatever," then leaned close to Wavepool and whispered, "Bossy furball."

Brambleclaw nodded and led the way inside then thorn barrier, into a stone hollow. There were many different dens around the edges; a mother was watching her kits play in a patch of sunlight; an elder was sharing tongues with another; two apprentices play fought. Brambleclaw led the way to a pike of stones leading up to a cave high up in the wall. As Wavepool clambered up the stones after him, she saw Jayfeather poke his head out of the den. His eyes twinkled as Wavepool got nearer. He stepped back into the cave to let Brambleclaw and the other cats inside. A fiery tom sat in a corner, in what looked like a soft nest off moss. Brambleclaw dipped his head to the tom.

"Firestar, we found intruders on the WindClan border," he mewed.

"Why is it always WindClan?" Firestar muttered to himself. His ears flicked at the newcomers, his eyes warm. "Welcome to ThunderClan. How may we assist you?"

"Well, we need to speak with Jayfeather." Wavepool regretted the words as soon as she said them, seeing Firestar's surprise. "Uh… so he can help us…"

"With?" The ThunderClan leader looked very much interested. "It's not everyday a group of cats come along asking for a medicine cats help."

"I… we, that is, need him to help figure out something about our own Clan."

"Clan, eh? You don't smell familiar. What Clan are you from?"

"IceClan," Wavepool replied.

Firestar nodded. "I see. And your names?"

"I am Wavepool, this is Fuzzypelt, and Echostream."

"Very much Clan names. Jayfeather tells me you live in the mountains." Firestar's eyes sparkled, as if recalling what the mountains looked like.

"Er- yes," Wavepool replied, shuffling her paws uncomfortably. "But… about why we came here…"

"Ah, yes. Well, I suppose he could come back with you… but we'd be without a medicine cat." Firestar's eyes narrowed, as if at the very thought his Clan could be attacked as soon as Jayfeather left. "But then again…"

"We just need to go to the Moonpool, Firestar," Jayfeather assured. "I'm not going to leave for a moon or anything."

The ThunderClan leader nodded. "Alright. You can leave tonight. And when you get back," he added, nodding to the IceClan warriors, "you can sleep in the warriors den, and Echostream can sleep with Jayfeather in the medicine cat den."

Wavepool nodded. "Thank you, Firestar. You are very generous."

His eyes glowed at her compliment. "It is what any leader would do."

The cats dipped their heads and were lead out of the leader's den back to the thorn barrier. Jayfeather joined them, meowing, "Alright. We'd better go now, before the sun sets." He headed out into the forest, with Echostream helping the limping Fuzzypelt along, and Wavepool brought up the rear. They padded onward, the sun sinking below the treetops, and followed the stream on the WindClan border. They followed it up until the coarse grass became stone. Wavepool gasped as they reached a large pool, where stars were beginning to reflect Silverpelt.

"Welcome," Jayfeather meowed, "to the Moonpool."


	15. A Message and a bit of Truth

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Fourteen

A Message and a bit of Truth

Jayfeather led the way down to the Moonpool. Wavepool felt her paws slip into paw prints as she followed him. She glanced behind her to see Fuzzypelt staring around agape, and Echostream's eyes sparkled with the reflected starlight from the Moonpool.

Jayfeather stopped in front of the pool. He settled down and said to Wavepool, "Now we have to drink some of the water.

Wavepool nodded and settled beside Jayfeather, with Echostream on his other side.

Fuzzypelt stood back from the pool, meowing, "I'll keep watch."

Wavepool bent forward and the three cats licked the icy water. Wavepool felt like she was drinking starlight. A coldness swept over her, and everything went black.

"Wavepool! Wavepool, get up!" Duskpelt's voice woke her up. She opened her eyes to see Duskpelt leaning over her, with Jayfeather and Echostream close behind her. Duskpelt's eyes were shining happily.

"You did it!" she mewed. "And now the message will be revealed!"

"Wait, hang on a minute," Wavepool meowed, standing up. "Why did we need to come here? What use is Jayfeather?"Jayfeather curled his lip.

"He is going to show you where to look," Duskpelt responded. "I couldn't, because it is difficult for me to walk these skies." Wavepool noticed that Duskpelt looked faded. "And if you hadn't come, the sign wouldn't have either."

Jayfeather flicked his tail. "Come on," he meowed. He padded off into the forest, leaping over the rim at the top of the Moonpool. Wavepool and Echostream followed, waving their tails in good-bye to Duskpelt, who slowly faded away.

Jayfeather led them to a small hollow, where Wavepool could see Eaglewind, sleeping in a makeshift nest among some tree roots. He stared up at the moon, his blue eyes ice cold. It made Wavepool shiver. Jayfeather turned to Wavepool, his eyes troubled.

"He wants to be with you Wavepool, but you keep denying him. And he's angry," Jayfeather announced, leaning forward to peer at Eaglewind. "He thinks you like Fuzzypelt better."

Both Echostream and Wavepool bristled. "How could he think that?" Wavepool asked, her claws sheathing and unsheathing over and over again. "Fuzzypelt is too annoying to be my mate!"

"Annoying!" Echostream scoffed. "Yeah, right. Whatever you think."

Wavepool turned and gaped at Echostream. "You like him!"Her friend's ears flattened. "What of it?"

"You can't! You're a medicine cat! It's against the will of StarClan!"

"We haven't done anything!" Echostream snapped. "It's only slight, and I don't even know if he likes me too…"

"He does," Jayfeather mewed, his ear twitching. "Trust me," he added, when he saw Echostream's stunned expression. "I can tell. His emotions around you are warm and fuzzy." He shivered. "Very warm."

Wavepool growled and turned back to Eaglewind, who was now settling down to sleep. "What does Eaglewind have to do with the flame?"

"He is the flame, Wavepool," Jayfeather growled, his ears flattening and his teeth bared. "He is going to have a rage powerful enough to wipe out your Clan."

"But how?" Wavepool asked, her anger melting and turning into pure curiosity. "He certainly isn't fierce enough."

Echostream suddenly gasped and Wavepool looked up, fur bristling. The moon had turn orange, and cloud covered the stars. Wavepool looked back down in the clearing to see Eagelwind sleeping soundly, as if it were any other night.

Jayfeather's voice sounded over a gust of wind; "'The love will burn out and turn to rage, and then the whole Clan will pay.'"

Wavepool's eyes opened to the Moonpool.

Jayfeather's fur was bristling beside her, as they all stood. Wavepool watched with cold eyes as Echostream stood and padded over to Fuzzypelt, who rubbed his muzzle against hers affectionately. Wavepool stood, her lip curled, and meowed to Jayfeather, rage creeping into her voice, "Thank you, Jayfeather. I think we'll be going now."She raced over to her Clanmates before Jayfeather could respond and led them up over the ridge of the Moonpool, hurrying to find Eaglewind so they didn't leave him here. They found him in the clearing, and Wavepool prodded him awake.

"We're leaving. If you want to go home, then you'd better come along," Wavepool growled.

He sat up, blinking sleep from his eyes. Then he yawned, got up, and followed Wavepool and the others out of the forest, and back home towards the mountains.


	16. Return

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Fifteen

Return

Wavepool halted at the foot of the mountains. They had been traveling all night at a hurried pace, and now they were going to rest.

Echostream sat Fuzzypelt down in a pile of dead leaves. "I should've checked your wound sooner," she mewed, examining the wound on his leg. She sniffed it. "Hm. Just a deep scratch. Better clean it." She began licking at the wound.

Eaglewind sat down beside Wavepool, and meowed, "So…"

"Why me?" she asked him suddenly. She turned to look at him; his eyes were wide in surprise.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean why do you love me? I'm certainly not attractive enough," she mewed, looking away.

His tail stroked her flank, and Wavepool tried not to flinch. "Because you're so brave, and loyal, and kind, and the nicest cat I know," Eagelwind murmured.

Wavepool pulled back. "But I'm not! I'm just Wavepool; deputy of IceClan. I'll never be your mate, nor do I ever want to be!" She raced off, into the shadow of the mountain. She ran around a pile of stones and hid behind it. Her tail drooped. **Why did I say that?** she wondered. Wavepool peered around the stones to see Eaglewind, pacing furiously. She sighed and padded towards Echostream and Fuzzypelt, making sure Eaglewind didn't see her.

The two were curled up side by side, sharing tongues. Wavepool sat down beside them. "Hello," she mewed, suddenly nervous around her own friends.

Echostream looked up at her, her eyes shining. "Hey, Wavepool." Her ears flicked. "Want me to check you for fleas?"

"Sure," Wavepool replied, laying down. Echostream padded over and began searching through her fur.

Fuzzypelt drew a paw over his ear. "I think Eaglewind likes you," he commented, his ears flicking towards the golden tom.

**How very observant of you.** "Really?" Wavepool answered, trying to sound surprised. "I never noticed before."Echostream snickered.

"Yeah, I mean, he keeps giving you funny glances, and every time he's around me, he talks about you as frequent as the wind blows." Fuzzypelt sniffed. "If I liked some cat, I wouldn't talk about them like they were the best thing in the world."

**Don't you? **"Yeah," Wavepool agreed, nodding her head.

"Well, I can't obsess over any cat; I'm not allowed," Echostream joked.

The three cats purred happily. Wavepool realised that she hadn't done so for so long.

Eaglewind padded towards them, his whiskers twitching irritably. "Are we going up the mountain or not?" he hissed.

"Uh, okay," Fuzzypelt mewed, getting up. "I mean, it'd be nice to have a nap, but…" Fuzzypelt yawned. "Yeah, let's go."

Echostream pulled back from Wavepool's fur. "Nothing anyways," she informed. "Your pelt's quite clean."

Wavepool got up and let her tail brush Echostream's flank. "Come on," she meowed. She followed Eaglewind the rest of the way, staying behind to walk with her friends.

As they reached the Twoleg nest, the sun slowly rose, turning the mountains purple. Wavepool stopped just to stare happily at the stones. She missed the beauty of her home. She continued onward with her Clanmates. Soon, they reached the cave, with Sleepytail on guard duty. Sleepytail jumped when she saw the group.

"Wavepool!" she cried. "Fuzzypelt! Echostream!" She suddenly looked confused. "Eaglewind? I didn't know you left."

"I did, but I met them further down the mountain," Eaglewind lied.

"We need some rest," Wavepool yawned, glancing at Eaglewind. "We've just traveled a long way, you know?"

"Of course," Sleepytail purred, dipping her head. She stepped aside to let the cats through.

As Wavepool padded to the warriors den, she was interrupted three times by her Clanmates, asking her how her journey went.

Finally, she went into the warriors den, and sleep found her at last.


	17. Training Ends

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Sixteen

Training Ends

Wavepool padded into the medicine den, Sweetpaw at her heels. "Hey, Echostream, do you have an herb for Sweetpaw?"

The apprentice held up a paw. "I trod on a thorn," she mumbled. "And right in the middle of training, too!"

Echostream poked her head out of the medicine store, small shreds of herbs clinging to her pelt. "A thorn?" She ducked back inside. "Just pull it out," her voice mewed from inside.

"Pull it out?" Sweetpaw gulped. "I think that might hurt."

Echostream padded out, her eyes glazed from tiredness. "Alright, alright. Let me have a look here." She sniffed the paw Sweetpaw held out for her. "Its in pretty deep," Echostream murmured, taking hold of the thicker part with her teeth. With a tug the thorn came out, and Echostream spat it out in a corner of dirty moss.

"Lick it," she instructed Sweetpaw.

The apprentice did as she was told and licked it furiously.

Wavepool nudged her apprentice outside, mewing over her shoulder, "Thanks, Echostream. You're a great medicine cat.""It was only a thorn." Echostream replied, heading back inside the medicine store.

Wavepool trotted outside the caves behind Sweetpaw. "So, what did Gullfeather teach you while I was away?"

Sweetpaw jumped up a little. "Well, he taught me how to catch fish!"

"Show me then," Wavepool meowed.

As the two she-cats padded towards the river that ran down the mountain, Wavepool couldn't help recalling what Jayfeather had told her four days earlier about Eaglewind. She was brought back to reality when Sweetpaw mewed, "So then Gullfeather said that I had to keep from letting my shadow cross paths with the river."

"Good." Wavepool nodded. "Then catch me a fish."

Wavepool watched approvingly as Sweetpaw concentrated, watching the fishes scales flash in the morning sun that reflected through the water. Her apprentices paw darted out suddenly, claws unsheathed, and a large scaly fish landed beside Sweetpaw. She killed it by biting near its head.

"Well done!" Wavepool purred. She found a pile of snow and carried the catch there, burying it. "Now, lets head to that small dip over there and train a bit."

Wavepool led Sweetpaw over to the dip. She turned to her apprentice. "Now, did Gullfeather tell you how to unbalance others?"

"No." Sweetpaw looked genuinely interested.

Wavepool crouched down and wiggled her haunches. "Try to attack me."

Sweetpaw blinked, confused. "Why would I do that?"

Wavepool rolled her eyes. "Pretend that I'm a rouge, trespassing on your territory."

Sweetpaw immediately bristled. With a hiss, she ran towards Wavepool. Wavepool quickly kicked out with a back leg, knocking Sweetpaw down before she could get close enough to swipe. Sweetpaw fell to the ground, puffing.

"What? How did you do that?"

Wavepool repeated the motion with her leg. "Now you try it," she meowed as Sweetpaw got up.

Sweetpaw copied Wavepool's movements. "Hey! I did it!" she cried, excited.

Wavepool purred. "Great, now try to-"

"WAVEPOOL!" a voice screeched. Wavepool turned to see Sandwhisker at the lip of the hollow. Her eyes were wide, her fur fluffed out. "Wavepool come quickly!"

Wavepool bounded up the slope to face Sandwhisker. "What happened?"

"It's Fogstar!" she gasped. "He's hurt!"


	18. Fogstar's Dream

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Seventeen

Fogstar's Dream

Wavepool raced behind Sandwhisker as the she-cat lead the deputy and her apprentice to Fogstar. They rounded a bend and halted in front of a small group of the Clan.

Wavepool padded up to Puddlesplash. "What happened?"

The young warrior looked distressed. "We were doing patrol when suddenly these rouges popped out and attacked us. We tried fending them off but…" She trailed off.

Her sister, Snowstorm, continued for her. "But Fogstar got a nasty cut along his side." She glanced at her leader. "He's bleeding quite a bit."

"Has someone fetched either medicine cat?" Wavepool mewed urgently, pushing past her Clanmates to stand in front of Fogstar. His side rose and fell slowly, but at least he was still breathing.

"I sent Mousepaw to fetch Feathersong," Sleepytail meowed. "But he's late coming back…"

Mousepaw appeared around the corner, Feathersong just behind him, a small bundle of herbs in his jaws.

Feathersong pushed his way past the cats crowding around his leader. "For StarClan's sake! Move out of the way!"

Everyone stepped aside to let him pass. The medicine cat opened the bundle and pulled out a mess of cobwebs. He placed them expertly on the slash in Fogstar's side. He glanced at Mousepaw. "Put pressure on this while I prepare a poultice."

Mousepaw placed both paws on the cobwebs as Feathersong began chewing leaves. The other cats looked on worriedly, Wavepool included. **What if he looses a life?**

Feathersong plastered the poultice onto the cobwebs. It began to seep through as Mousepaw pulled his paws away. Fogstar was still breathing.

"Now what?" Snowstorm voiced everyone's thoughts.

"We wait." Feathersong tucked his tail over his paws patiently.

The cats waited awhile. Wavepool held her breath the whole time, watching her leaders side rise and stopped suddenly, and there was a long pause where nobody even blinked. After awhile, he coughed, and blinked open his eyes. His gaze searched the cats around him.

"Wavepool?" His gaze fell on his deputy.

Feathersong picked up his bundle and nodded to his Clanmates. "Let's give them some time alone," he mumbled around the herbs. The cats padded slowly away, glancing over their shoulders now and then. When they vanished from sight, Wavepool turned to Fogstar.

"What happened?" she asked, watching worriedly as he slowly sat up, panting.

"Those rouges you chased off a moon ago? They showed up again," Fogstar rasped. "They claimed they were going to take over our territory, and this time, they brought reinforcements."

"That sounds awful!" Wavepool mewed, her eyes widening. "So you fought them?"

"What else could we do? It was either that or run away like mice." He bared his teeth. "IceClan is a powerful Clan of warriors, not mice hearted cowards."

Wavepool suppressed a purr at her leaders pride in his Clan. She felt it too; the urge to protect her Clanmates, at whatever the cost.

Fogstar looked deep into her eyes, his amber ones concerned. "I need to tell you something, Wavepool."

She pricked her ears.

"While you were gone, I went to the Star Stream with Feathersong," he mewed quietly. "I dreamed I was in a very dark cave, and it was filled with thick fog." His eyes grew distant. "A voice called out to me, saying that it was almost time for me to join my ancestors, and suddenly I appeared on a silver hillside. Grasses waves in the wind, trees bore fruits, and I could hear prey scuffling in the undergrowth. I looked down and I could see the mountain below me."

Wavepool asked, "Was it our mountain?"

"Yes. And I saw you there, leading a patrol to catch prey." His gaze returned to Wavepool's. "And I saw in your eyes that you would make a great leader." His eyes brightened, and for the first time in moons, Wavepool knew that Fogstar was very pleased. "And I am ready to leave, because of that dream. Because I know my Clan - **our** Clan - will be safe in your paws."

Wavepool purred and licked her leaders ears. "Come on, Fogstar," she meowed. "Let's go home."


	19. Eaglewind's First Sign

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Eighteen

Eaglewind's First Sign

Wavepool flicked her tail at Sweetpaw, who had just bowled over Songpaw in a training session. "Well done!"

The tortoiseshell apprentice waved her tail in response, her eyes shining proudly.

Songpaw got up and shook her fur. She glanced over at her mentor, Fuzzypelt. "I'm sorry. I didn't see her coming that way."

"Always be prepared, that's all," Fuzzypelt replied. "Try to watch her movements and predict what she'll do next."

Mousepaw prodded Sleepytail with a paw. "Can I try now?"

Sleepytail groaned. "Ugh, alright. Quit getting under my fur about it."

Swiftriver purred and flicked her ear with his tail. "Don't act like such a grumpy elder."

"Just you wait. I'll be the grumpiest elder you ever did see," Sleepytail retorted.

Mousepaw padded over to Songpaw and wiggled his rump in the air. "Bet I can beat you!"

"No way!" Songpaw growled, crouching down.

Sweetpaw stepped back to sit beside Wavepool. She glanced at her mentor as her littermates began to fight. "Do you think I'm ready for my ceremony?"

Wavepool turned and looked at her apprentice, surprised. Only a day after a crisis situation with Fogstar losing his second last life, and here her apprentice was, peppy as usual! **Some things will never change**, Wavepool thought. "Well… I'm not sure. I'll have to talk to Fuzzypelt and Sleepytail about your siblings. That way you can all be warriors together."

Sweetpaw's eyes sparkled. "I hope I get called Sweetdawn! That would be such a cool name!"

"Fogstar chooses your name," Wavepool reminded her.

Sweetpaw huffed out a breath. "I know. I just hoped."

Suddenly, Wavepool heard Eaglewind's voice behind her. "Hey, Wavepool."

She groaned inwardly, but forced her voice to sound light. "Hi, Eaglewind. What's up?"

He padded down the slope to sit beside her. "I was just wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me for a minute."

She glanced at the training session; Sweetpaw had just run into the fight, since Fuzzypelt had told all the apprentices to fight one another all at once. "I'm trying to train Sweetpaw here…"

"I know, but we'll just be a minute, right?" His voice came close to her ear. Wavepool suppressed a shudder.

"Alright, just for awhile," she mewed, giving in. She called over to Sleepytail, "I'll be back in a few!"

Sleepytail yawned in response.

The two cats padded away from the hollow. Eaglewind lead the way to the river where Sweetpaw had caught a fish. He sat down a few tail lengths away so he wouldn't get wet. Wavepool sat beside him, far enough away so that their pelts weren't brushing.

"What is up with you?" Eaglewind suddenly asked. "Ever since we came back from the forest, you've been avoiding me; sending me on different patrols, ignoring me, gulping down your food just when I sit down to eat…" He shook his head, almost sadly. "What happened?"

"I told you Eaglewind, I don't have the same feelings for you as you do for me!" Wavepool growled. "Nor will I ever."

Eagelwind turned a cold blue stare on her that made her shiver. "No need for you to be so cruel about it, crushing my feelings into dust." He bared sharp teeth. "It's like you don't even care."

"I don't!" Wavepool exclaimed.

"I can see that!" Eaglewind spat, his eyes no longer ice cold; now they burned with an intensity that mad Wavepool fear for her life. She glanced down at his paws; his claws were unsheathed, and as sharp as an eagles talons.

"Then why do you keep asking me what's wrong?" Wavepool asked, trying to make her fur lie flat.

"Because I won't give up!" he hissed, getting to his paws.

Wavepool quickly got to hers, her fur fluffed up in alarm.

"And I never will give up until you see that there's no other choice but to accept the fact that you and I were meant to be together!" Eaglewind mewed with quiet menace. Then he turned and stalked off, his claws scraping the ground.

Wavepool stared after him, and tried to calm down.

**Jayfeather was right!** she suddenly realised. **Eaglewind's going mad!**


	20. Another Outburst

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Nineteen

Another Outburst

"Mmm, mouse has never tasted so good!" Echostream purred.

Wavepool had just brought her friend a mouse after the unsettling talk with Eaglewind. She shuffled her paws as she waited for the medicine cat apprentice to finish her meal before she broke the news.

After quite some time of listening to Echostream admire the taste of the mouse, Wavepool mewed, "He's snapped, Echostream. He's finally lost it!"

Echostream looked up at her, puzzled. "Who?""Eaglewind!""Ah. That makes sense."

"Well, he's finally snapped. He said that he won't stop until I realise that he and I were meant for each other."

Echostream licked her whiskers. "And so the rage begins…" she mewed quietly.

Almost as if on queue, Eaglewind's voice sounded from outside. "Echostream? Are you in there?"

Wavepool's eyes darted wildly to the entrance. Echostream gestured to the medicine store with her tail hurriedly, calling out, "Yes, just a moment."

Wavepool rushed inside the store, the smell of herbs engulfing her, just as Eaglewind padded inside. Wavepool strained to hear their conversation.

"I need some poppy seeds," Eaglewind growled.

"What for?" Echostream asked warily.

"For the pain of having my heart broken." Wavepool could picture the golden tom's lip curling in anger, his eyes glinting. She quivered in the gloom.

"Sorry, I only give them for real emergencies." Wavepool heard Echostream bury the remains of the mouse in the dirt at the back of the cave. "Now if you have nothing better to do than ask me for painkillers, will you please leave the-"

She was cut off by a loud hiss from Eaglewind. A yelp from Echostream confirmed Wavepool's fear that she was shoved backwards by Eaglewind coming towards her, knocking her into the corner. Wavepool winced as she pictured his claws pricking Echostream's skin, his icy eyes burning with bloodthirsty revenge. She forced herself not to move.

"I will get my revenge, mark my words," Eaglewind hissed, venom leaking into his voice. With a thud of paws on the stones he raced out of the cave, just as Feathersong appeared in the entrance.

"My goodness!" the senior medicine cat mewed. "What on earth happened in here?"

"Nothing," Echostream replied. She called out to Wavepool, "Did you get those poppy seeds fine?"

Wavepool emerged and forced herself to look sleepy. "Yeah. Thanks, Echostream. Maybe now I can get some rest."

Echostream nodded. Wavepool could tell she was trying to hide the fear from showing in her dark blue eyes. "Alright. See you later."

Wavepool stumbled out of the medicine den, her body numb as if she really had had poppy seeds. As she padded into the warriors den, passing the tunnel to the entrance, she noticed Eaglewind's scent leaving the cave. She thought nothing of it when she finally collapsed into her nest and closed her eyes. But it wasn't until the moon waned high in the night sky that sleep finally came to Wavepool.


	21. News

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Twenty

News

The next day, Wavepool crouched behind a rock, observing Sweetpaw as she stalked a mouse. The apprentice leaped forward and killed the mouse with a swift bite to the neck. Wavepool nodded, pleased. She continued to watch as Sweetpaw lay the mouse on a rock nearby before she scurried off into the bracken. Wavepool listened and heard the call of an eagle. As it swooped down for the mouse, Sweetpaw jumped from the bracken on top of its back, and began clawing its feathers out. Blood spattered the ground, and the eagle let out a call of pain before dropping to the ground.

Sweetpaw picked up her mouse and buried it in the bracken before dragging her eagle into the clump as well. Wavepool decided the assessment was over, and padded out to meet her apprentice.

Sweetpaw bounced excitedly. "So, how did I do?" she asked.

Wavepool purred. "I think it's time."

Sweetpaw squealed happily. Then she ran into the brambles, pulling out the eagle.

Wavepool took it from her by one wing, as the apprentice went back in to get her mouse. The two she-cats padded back to the cave, depositing the catches on the fresh-kill pile.

Patcheye came in and licked his lips. "Oh, yummy." He picked up the mouse and padded into the nursery.

Wavepool hurried into Fogstar's den, Sweetpaw just behind. She was surprised to find Sleepytail, Swiftriver, Mousepaw and Drizzlefoot in the den too.

"…and after that we lost his scent," Drizzlefoot was saying. "But it seems as if he was leaving the territory."

Swiftriver shifted his paws uncomfortably. "Maybe he just needed sometime alone or something…"

"He left yesterday," Mousepaw sneered. "He's left the Clan, that's what's happened."

Sleepytail nudged her apprentice. "Hush!" she scolded.

Wavepool nudged forward between the cats. "What's going on?" she asked, looking from one Clanmate to another.

Fogstar bowed his head. "It seems," he meowed softly, "that Eaglewind has fled the territory."

Wavepool's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"

Drizzlefoot glanced at her. "He ran out of the cave yesterday, angered." She shook her head.

"We think he left the territory because of that," Sleepytail put in. "We just need to figure out where he's going."

"Except we can't," Drizzlefoot continued, "because we lost his scent through a large area of snow."

Wavepool's heart began to race. **Where could he have gone?** "Take me to the place," Wavepool meowed.

"It'll be hard to scent anything." Swiftriver warned. "Are you sure?"

**Yes! Take me, please! So I can see what dirty tricks he's up to! **"Positive."

Drizzlefoot led the way out of Fogstar's den, followed by Sleepytail, Mousepaw, Swiftriver, and Sweetpaw, with Wavepool bringing up the rear. The patrol hurried out of the cave out into the afternoon light. They

raced down the mountain, and before long, they reached the massive area of snow.

Mousepaw curled his lip. "Twoleg stench all over the place. They're probably the cause of this thing."

Wavepool noticed a cat like trail in the snow. "He headed over there," she meowed, pointing with her tail. She followed the trail at a run, with her Clanmates behind her. They stopped at the end of the trail. Wavepool drew in the air over her scent glands. Suddenly, she smelt it; Eaglewind's scent! It was there, but it was very faint. She slowly followed it, keeping her mouth open to scent him.

When they had gone past the scent markers, Wavepool looked up from the ground. They reached a cliff edge.

Mousepaw and Sweetpaw looked over the edge. "Woah." Mousepaw's eyes were wide. "That drop could kill a cat!"

Sweetpaw pointed down with one paw. "Wavepool!" she called. "Come look at this!"

Wavepool hurried over to see what her apprentice was pointing at. She inhaled sharply when she saw.

A path led down the cliff into a large cave.

The IceClan deputy strained to hear anything coming from inside the cave. She picked up a few voices, but couldn't hear them clearly enough to hear what they were saying. She sniffed the air… Eaglewind's scent led down into the cave.

"We need to report this to Fogstar," Wavepool meowed.

"We'll go," Drizzlefoot meowed, glancing at Sleepytail, Mousepaw and Swiftriver.

"I'll come too!" Sweetpaw exclaimed. She hurried over to the leaving cats.

Sleepytail glanced back at Wavepool. "Recon?" she called back.

Wavepool nodded. "For sure."

Sleepytail's ears twitched. Then she followed Swiftriver back through the field of snow.

Wavepool turned back to the edge. She gulped.

"Here I go," she muttered.


	22. Preparations

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Twenty-one

Preparations

Wavepool slowly padded down the path, watching her paws to make sure she didn't fall over the cliff. As she got closer to the bottom of the path, she heard voices from inside the cave.

She recognized Eaglewind's voice. "Will you help me or not?" he growled.

The thin voice of another cat replied, "If it means we get back at those Clan cats, then yes."

"Thistle, speak for yourself," snapped another. Wavepool realized who Eaglewind was with; the rogues who attacked Fogstar!

Thistle snickered. "Oh, Dock. You worry too much."

Dock meowed, "How many cats do you need, Eaglewind?"

"Enough to wipe out the Clan," he replied. His claws scraped the stone floor. "And they need to be tough."

"Shade," Dock called. Wavepool peeked around the corner to see the black tom pad over to the muscular brown tom.

"Gather the others," he ordered. "We'll need everyone."

Shade nodded and disappeared deeper into the cave.

Thistle's tail twitched. "When do we attack."

"At twilight," Eaglewind replied, his eyes glinting with hatred. "The Clan will be asleep, and only one cat will be on guard."

Dock nodded. "Alright. Come. We must prepare." He led the other two cats into the cave.

Wavepool stiffened by the entrance. She wanted to run back to the camp, screeching the news so that even StarClan would hear her. She could imagine the horror on her Clanmates faces as she told them Eaglewind was a traitor. She could almost hear their cries of protest, telling her that she was wrong.

Without realising it, she had already begun racing back to the camp. She streaked past a hunting patrol with confused looks in her hurry. She dashed into Fogstar's den; he sat up as she came in.

"Eaglewind's working with the rogues!" she gasped, flopping down on the ground.

Fogstar's ears pricked. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Wavepool explained what had happened in the cave, and with every word, Fogstar stiffened. When she finished, he stood. "We must tell the Clan."

He hurried out of the den, with Wavepool just behind. He leapt atop the Speaking Stone and called a summon that hadn't been used in generations: "All Clanmates who are able gather beneath the Speaking Stone for a Clan meeting."

Soon, every cat was out of the dens, with kits and their mothers in the entrance to the nursery, and the elders just outside their den. Everyone looked curious, including Echostream and Feathersong.

"As you know," Fogstar began, "Eaglewind has fled the Clan. Wavepool has found out some information about him."

Murmurs broke out amongst the cats, with Swiftriver, who was mentored by Eaglewind, called out, "Where is he?"

Wavepool took a deep breath before meowing, "He is working with the same rogues that attacked Fogstar." She waited for the cats to be quiet before continuing, "And he plans to attack us at twilight."

Gasps and cries rang out through the air, just like Wavepool predicted they would.

"Why?" shouted Patcheye, who stood protectively in front of his mate and kits. "Why would he attack his own Clan?"

"He is angered to madness," Fogstar replied calmly. "He will go to many lengths to destroy us." Quietly, to Wavepool he muttered, "He's the flame."

Wavepool shuddered at her leader's ominous voice. But he was right; she knew that.

"What can we do?" Fawnleap asked, standing. "How many will come?"

"A few more than we have here." Wavepool bowed her head as the Clan shrieked with fear.

"We have to fight!" cried a voice. Everyone became silent as they turned and look at the speaker.

Sweetpaw's eyes were shining bravely. "We have no choice," she continued. "What are we going to do, let them kill us?" She glanced over at the nursery, where the kits quivered with fear. "We have a Clan to protect."

"It was part of the oat we swore when we became warriors," Gullfeather meowed, nodding. "To always protect our Clan."

Slowly, to Wavepool's amazement, the warriors of IceClan stood, their eyes determined. They all turned to Fogstar.

He looked from one face to the next. Then he nodded. "For the sake of our Clan, we shall fight off the rogues!"

The Clan cheered, and everyone began preparations.

Wavepool nodded to her apprentice, who's eyes shone with pleasure. Sweetpaw then hurried after Mousepaw to get ready.

Fogstar leapt down, and hurried into his den. Wavepool followed.

"Do you think we'll be ready?" she asked as soon as they were inside.

Fogstar looked at her with a worried gaze. "I certainly hope so."


	23. Eaglewind's End

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Twenty-two

Eaglewind's End

At twilight, the cats of IceClan left the cave to make a line outside the entrance, so the rogues couldn't get inside. Their claws were unsheathed, their fur bristling, their teeth bared.

Wavepool stood a tail length in front of the line. She watched, stiff, as a few shadowy figures padded up towards the Clan cats. Eaglewind led them.

Wavepool's claws touched stone as she watched the rogues come closer. She lost count of how many there were, but there weren't enough to drive the Clan cats out.

Eaglewind halted three tail lengths away from Wavepool, his teeth bared. "So, you found out, huh?"

Wavepool rasied her head. "You won't get away with this, Eaglewind," she replied. "StarClan will punish you for this."

"StarClan?" He laughed. "What do they care? They wouldn't let us be together." His eyes went from anger to sadness for a moment. Then his eyes hardened again. "But that's all over. Now, the suffering begins!"

He leapt at Wavepool, bowling her over, his claws unsheathed. She scratched his ear, tearing it. He bent down to bite her throat, but she clawed his muzzle, and blood spattered the stone. He fell off her, hissing. Wavepool went after Shade, who she saw was attacking Fuzzypelt. Echostream beat her to it; the black-and-white she cat pulled Shade off of Fuzzypelt, snarling. She attacked with thorn sharp claws, driving him away. Fuzzypelt licked her ear affectionately before leaping atop a tortoiseshell rogue.

Wavepool raced towards Thistle, who was battering Sleepytail with her paws. She unbalanced the rogue, then leaped atop her, scratching her belly. Thistle yowled and clawed her way out from under Wavepool. Suddenly, Wavepool's side ached; she turned to see a bright ginger tom with blood stained claws. The blood on his claws was her own. She hissed and slashed at him. She cut open his eyes with her claws, and the ginger tom fell down, blinded. Wavepool scratched him a few times in the side before leaping away, atop a rock, to survey the battle.

Gullfeather was fighting two small black cats at once, driving them away from the camp. Fawnleap and Snowstorm were battering a large grey tom with their paws, making him fall over. Echostream and Fuzzypelt had teamed up against Dock, Fuzzypelt unbalancing him so Echostream could leap atop him and dig her claws into his belly. Wavepool saw Drizzlefoot helping Cedarbranch back into the cave; his tail was dragging along on the stones, limp, a huge gash in his shoulder.

She was knocked off the stone by a massive yellow tom. Wavepool screeched as the two landed on the ground. Wavepool twisted under the toms weight, flipping to lie on her back, her belly exposed. She scratched the toms belly with her claws, then pushed him off her with her paws. He flew off of her and smacked into another rogue, who was heading her way. The two rolled off the edge of the cliff, falling down to their deaths. Wavepool could hear their screeching as she ran off, leaping atop a rogue who was attacking Swiftriver. She clawed at his ears, ripping them, then at his muzzle. Blood spurted almost instantly. He yowled with pain and raced off, leaving the territory.

Wavepool turned to Swiftriver. He lay on the ground, his eyes dull. His breath rasped, and when he spoke, his voice bubbled with blood.

"Tell Sleepytail I love her," he gurgled. Then he shuddered once and fell still.

She tore her gaze away from the blood spattered tom. Then she spotted Eaglewind, attacking Fogstar with a fiery hatred. She hurried over to help. Wavepool bowled Eaglewind over, and the two rolled on the stones, hissing, a ball of claws and teeth. When they rolled to a stop, Wavepool rolled him onto his belly. She held him down by the shoulders with her paws, watching him as he struggled underneath her. She looked over to Fogstar; her leader fell onto the ground, gasping for breath. He looked up to see her looking at him.

"Finish the traitor off!" he cried. "Save our Clan!"

Wavepool nodded and turned her gaze back to Eaglewind. She leaned in close, her teeth bared.

"This is for Swiftriver, and Cedarbranch, and all those cats you've harmed," she snarled. She raked her claws across his throat, and his body racked with a long and painful looking spasm. Wavepool got off of Eaglewind, and watched as the life left his eyes. They were as dull as the stones his blood pooled onto.

Spitting on the body, Wavepool turned back to her leader.

Fogstar managed to hobble over to her. The two watched as the rogues noticed Eaglewind was dead, and as they fled away from the Clan cats, who began to cheer.

Fogstar sighed happily, then lay down. "I've never fought so hard in my life," he muttered. "But it was for good cause." He looked up at Wavepool. "I get to see the bringing about of a great leader."

Wavepool's eyes widened. "What! No, Fogstar, please…" She leaned down. Her eyes glistened. "Don't die."

"I must. To allow the prophecy to come true." He dipped his head to Wavepool. "You have grown to become a fine cat, Wavepool. And I can see you will be an even finer leader."

Wavepool lay down beside him and began cleaning his bloody fur as he went on. "I will watch over you from StarClan of course. That is my new duty." He sighed. "So many duties. A cat never gets a break."

"Not duties, Fogstar," Wavepool murmured. "Responsibilities."

Fogstar purred. Then he meowed solemnly, "I bestow the-" he nodded "-responsibility of my - our- Clan onto you, Wavepool." He sighed, and closed his eyes.

Wavepool watched sadly as his side rose and fell for a final time.

The Clan cats gathered around them. Their eyes were filled with sadness.

Feathersong and Echostream padded up to Wavepool side by side.

"We have won," Feathersong mewed, quietly to Wavepool. "But much has been lost." He looked at Fogstar, and then in the direction of where Swiftriver lay, with Sleepytail by his side, watching the Clan cats.

"And much will be gained back," Wavepool promised. She looked around at her Clan and began to feel a sense of pride. She bowed her head. "If you'll have me as your leader."

The Clan cats looked at one another. Slowly, they began to bow their heads one by one, until every cats head was bowed, in respect to their new leader. They began to call her name, "Wavepool! Wavepool!"

Wavepool raised her head proudly, her eyes shining. This was the Clan she was destined to lead.

And she would do so with all the strength she had.


	24. Duties of a Leader

Indigo Twilight

Chapter Twenty-three

Duties of a Leader

Wavepool padded into the Star Chamber. A small stone sat in the centre, and it made her suck in a sharp breath.

"Don't block the entrance," Feathersong mumbled behind her.

Wavepool hurried inside, closer to the stone. Feathersong padded in to stand beside her.

He laid down in front of the stone, gesturing with his tail for Wavepool to do the same. "Now, we must wait for moonhigh."

It wasn't long; soon, a small beam of moonlight entered the chamber, touching the stone. It sparkled like a thousand ice crystals, shimmering. Wavepool squinted against the bright light.

"The Ice Stone," Feathersong mewed quietly. "Our connection to our ancestors."

Wavepool glanced at him; his eyes were wide open, as if he were absorbing the light within the stone. He leaned forward and touched his nose to it. Wavepool copied his actions, and the moment her nose touched the stone, a chill ran through her, and her eyes snapped shut.

When she opened them again, she was standing on the window moor where she had met Duskfur and Breezestar. She searched the moor and saw Feathersong, standing with a small group of shimmering cats. Wavepool hurried over.

She recognized Duskpelt almost immediately. The former medicine cat dipped her head. "Welcome, Wavepool. You have worked hard, and now, StarClan will reward you."

The cats gathered around her, making a circle. Feathersong stood outside it, his eyes encouraging her.

Duskpelt stepped forward and touched her nose to Wavepool's. "With this life I give you love. May you always use it to care for your Clan."

A slash of pain wrenched through Wavepool. She shut her eyes against it, and saw her Clan, smiling up at her with admiration. She felt connected with them like she never had before.

She opened her eyes to see Duskpelt step back and Swiftriver take her place. Before she could say anything to him, he mewed, "With this life I give you courage, so that you may face against all the dangers your Clan might encounter."

The moment his nose touched hers, she felt herself unsheathe her claws and attack an unseen enemy, feeling no fear.

Wavepool's eyes opened. Swiftriver gazed into them. "Tell Sleepytail that I'm fine," he murmured, "and that I'll always watch over her."

Wavepool nodded as Swiftriver stepped back. Breezestar took his place, touching her nose to Wavepool's.

"With this life I give you faith," she meowed. "Faith that your Clan will pull through, and that StarClan will always be there."

Wavepool felt desperation tug at her like a claw, then saw a light float towards her. It enveloped her, and made her feel relieved. She purred and dipped her head to Breezestar. "Thank you."

"No, thank you," the former IceClan leader replied. "For saving our Clan from destruction."

Fogstar padded out of the circle, nudging Breezestar. "Back to your place, eh?" he mewed good humouredly.

Breezestar nodded, a twinkle in her eye, and went back to her spot in the circle.

Fogstar touched his nose to his deputy's. "With this life I give you knowledge, so that you may know what's good for your Clan."

Wavepool felt the wisdom of many cats flow into her, until she felt she was so full of knowledge, she thought she might overflow, like a pool after a rain. Fogstar stepped back, and bowed his head.

"You will make a fine leader," he mewed, raising his head to stare intently at Wavepool. "I chose I fine deputy." Without another word he stepped back.

A silver and black tabby she-cat took his place. Wavepool breathed in her scent, and purred. "Pebblestream!"

Her mother purred. "It's good to see you again Wavepool. I'm so proud." She touched her nose to her daughter's. "With this life I give you pride. Use it to be proud of your Clan, from the kits to the elders, for everything they've done and will do."

Wavepool closed her eyes and saw her Clanmates. She was sitting atop the Speaking Stone, and they were all gathered below her for a Clan meeting. Her heart nearly burst with pride, and as she opened her eyes, her heart began to ache.

"Don't be sad, my dearest," Pebblestream mewed, rubbing up against Wavepool. "I have always watched over you, and I always will, until the day you join me here in StarClan."

Wavepool nodded. "Alright."

Pebblestream licked her daughter's ear before stepping back, allowing another familiar face to step forward.

"Jayfeather?" Wavepool gasped.

He blinked, his eyes not cloudy with his usual blindness. "I have been granted the permission to walk these skies and give you this next life." He touched his nose to hers. "With this life I give you justice. Use it to seek out all evil in the Clan, and judge your Clanmates fairly."

Wavepool, so used to the sweetness of her previous lives, was surprised by the pain that this life gave her. She dug her claws into the earth so as not to fall over. **This pain isn't fair!** As the thought entered her head, the pain ceased, and was replaced by a feeling of fairness and justice.

When Wavepool opened her eyes, she saw Jayfeather's blue eyes sparkling. "I always knew you were destined for great things, Wavepool," he meowed. His eyes told her he was speaking the truth. He stepped back.

Wavepool's eyes widened as her father, a spiky light grey tom stepped forward. He purred. "Hello, Wavepool."

"Rockcrest!" Wavepool cried, rubbing her muzzle against his.

Rockcrest nudged Wavepool back. "Hey, what did I always tell you?"

"Formalities." Wavepool rolled her eyes. "I remember."

Rockcrest touched his nose to his daughter's. "Well done. With this life I give you respect. Use it so that your Clanmates will understand your decisions, and you theirs.

Wavepool felt like she was floating on a cloud, a wind of voices in her ears, saying, "Well done…well done…" It was her voice and other voices as well.

Rockcrest stepped back, meowing, "Serve your Clan well, daughter."

A small black cat hurried forward, and Wavepool was shaken by a wave of grief. It was her sister, Shadepaw, who had been killed by a boulder when they were apprentices.

"Shadepaw," Wavepool breathed.

"Wavepool." Shadepaw dipped her head. "I miss you. But I'm glad I get to give you this next life." She stretched up to touch her nose to Wavepool's. "With this life I give you sorrow. Use it to remember your lost Clanmates, and to grieve when necessary."

Wavepool was rocked with a large feeling of sorrow and darkness. She felt like she should push it away, but she withstood it until the pain ebbed and was replaced by understanding.

She opened her eyes slowly. "Shadepaw…"

Shadepaw placed her tail over her sister mouth, just like she had done when they were apprentices. "I'll always support you, Wavepool." Her eyes shone happily, despite the sad life she had given. "And I want you to know that I'm happy you've succeeded in life. It makes me proud to have you as a littermate." Shadepaw pulled her tail away and headed back to her spot in the circle.

Wavepool looked around. "Where will my last life come fr-"

"Patience Wavepool," Breezestar meowed, flicking her tail.

Wavepool nodded and bowed her head, waiting.

Suddenly, a voice spoke behind her. "Wavepool."

She lifted her head and turned around, surprised to see…

Eaglewind.

"What?" Wavepool cried, looking around at the other cats. "Why is…?"

"I have not come here to punish you, Wavepool," Eaglewind assured. "StarClan has granted me temporary access to their hunting grounds, so I may grant you this final life." As he touched his nose to Wavepool's, she tried hard not to flinch away. He meowed, "With this life I give you acceptance. Use it to understand that not everything will happen according to plan."

Wavepool was plunged into Eaglewind's memory; he was thinking about her. How she wouldn't agree to be his mate. He knew he couldn't force her… but he had to try.

She opened her eyes. Eaglwind was fading. "Goodbye, Wavepool." His voice was faint. "I'll miss you…" He vanished into thin air.

The remaining cats of StarClan stepped forward.

"From this day forward, you shall be known as Wavestar," Fogstar meowed. "May you forever guide your Clan when they need you most."

The StarClan cats began to cheer her name. "Wavestar! Wavestar! Wavestar!…"

* * *

><p>"…Wavestar! Wavestar!" The cheers of the starry cats became the cheers of her Clanmates, the next evening.<p>

Wavestar looked down at her Clanmates. "And now, and important need for the Clan; the deputy."

Cats looked anxiously at one another, hoping they might get chosen.

"The new deputy of IceClan will be Sleepytail." Wavestar watched, pleased as the Clan approved of her choice. She waited for her new deputy to stand underneath the Speaking Stone. Then she meowed, as her Clan quieted down, "And I believe it's time for some new warriors."

Sweetpaw and her littermates, Songpaw and Mousepaw, jumped up in surprise, and began to lick themselves clean. Wavestar waited for them to look clean gesturing with her tail for them to come forward. She looked at Fuzzypelt, who sat beside Echostream, their tails entwined. "Fuzzypelt, is Songpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"Yes, she is," Fuzzypelt replied.

"And Sleepytail?""Mousepaw has worked hard. He is ready," Sleepytail mewed.

Wavestar nodded. "And I approve Sweetpaw's warrior ceremony. Come, forward, apprentices."

The three apprentices padded forward to stand below the Speaking Stone.

Wavestar took a deep breath; it was time to recite the words she had heard so many times. "I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have worked hard to learn your ways through six long moons, and I commend them as warriors in their turn. Sweetpaw, Mousepaw, and Songpaw, do you promise to live up to the expectations of your Clanmates, and protect them, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do!" they cried in unison, Sweetpaw the loudest of all, her eyes shining bright.

"Then may you receive your warrior names." Wavestar jumped off the Speaking Stone and landed in front of the apprentices.

"Mousepaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Mousestreak. We honour your patience and courage and welcome you as a full member of IceClan."

Mousestreak licked Wavestar's shoulder as she touched her muzzle to his head. He stepped back.

"Songpaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Songwind. We honour your kindness and caring for your Clanmates and welcome you as a full member of IceClan."

Like her brother, Songwind stepped forward and licked her leader's shoulder. Wavestar rested her muzzle on her head and watched as Songwind stepped back and Sweetpaw took her place.

"Sweetpaw, from this day forward you shall be known as Sweetdawn. We honour you for your leadership and your bravery and welcome you as a full member of IceClan."

Wavestar touched her muzzle to her former apprentice's head as Sweetdawn licked her shoulder. Sweetdawn stepped back.

The Clan cheered the new warriors names. "Songwind! Mousestreak! Sweetdawn!"

The new warriors looked at their Clanmates with shining eyes. Wavestar nodded her head. **My first warriors ceremony! And many more to come.**

"And, as custom, our new warriors will keep watch while the rest of the Clan sleeps," Wavestar meowed.

The three warriors dipped their heads and padded towards the entrance to the cave. Wavestar followed them outside.

As they sat down, Wavestar meowed. "Well done. You have earned your new status."

"And so have you, Wavestar," Sweetdawn meowed.

"Ah, a **silent** vigil, Sweetdawn," Wavestar reminded. "But thank you."

Sweetdawn nodded and returned to her watch, her littermates pressed up close beside her.

Wavestar looked up at the sky and purred softly. Then she headed back inside the cave, leaving the warriors to keep watch in the indigo twilight.

**The End**


End file.
